Ty Me Down
by Scottea
Summary: Sortta - The past and present days and way meet and mix to different results and what is said is not always what is heard. The character's are Paramount's but they let me play with them here - thanks Paramount.
1. Chapter 1

They had been together on that planet for two months, Ty had been recovering after all that had happened and now, now Ty lay possibly dead in his arms. Captain James T Kirk was fully aware of his Vulcan First Officer and his Chief Medical Officer watching him as he held the body, suddenly unable and unwilling to let go of it. There was the sound of Commodore Halls being taken away to the brig, Chekov taking control of getting the crew back to their stations and the sounds of normal activity around him but he could not let go of the body he held. He heard Spock telling him to let McCoy take care of him but he could not let go.

He knew Ty could possibly still be alive but he could not, would not let go. Not yet. Not yet. It was all too soon, too familiar. Seeing the knife stabbing Ty was like seeing it all again.

Two months ago he, Commodore Halls, Chekov, and Officer Ty Baylance had beamed down to the planet Starfleet had sent them to investigate. It had been a well-laid trap by the Commodore. As soon as they landed they were attacked, Chekov stunned first by a phaser while a large band of men attacked him and Ty, finally subduing them for the Commodore to look at. It had clearly been a planned attack.

"I will take Chekov back with me, Kirk. I'll need proof for that Vulcan that we were attacked and he saw the attack start. You two will be left here. There is a civil war going on down here and you know we cannot get involved as we are here to try to get the two parties to talk, with luck they will kill you on sight. I, of course, will be given the Enterprise, to finish the rest of the mission. And then another mission but still the same ship. My ship. Having this group attack us gives them weapons and agreeing to return later for the recovery of your bodies, or the search for them when the conflict dies down will help the crew accept me. "

It was clear the Commodore had it all arranged as the group holding them had taken delight in systematically beating them before hauling them, semi-conscious to their camp and dumping them in a pit.

That had been the start, two months ago. They had survived though the bloody civil war they had been sent to help because Ty had proven to the group that had taken them captive after killing the party which had originally captured them and kept them in that pit for a week, that they could be trusted and they cared about life. They had survived the last two months in a small hut with a family that had taken them in and been sheltered and protected by the entire village, after Ty had saved the village's children, twice. They had heard how Commodore Halls had offered a reward for their bloodied bodies or at least bloodied uniforms, a reward more than almost any family could turn down but that the village that had helped them had only hidden their uniforms for when their people came back for them. .

The small village they had been befriended by had first held them as prisoners and had them tethered by their ankles to a stake in the village centre. They had been left tethered with no shelter and fed only scraps. It had been on the fifth day that it all started. The village's children had all gone onto the lake on a raft, members of the waring faction on the other side of the lake that divided them has seen the children and blew up the dam so the raft the children were on started to float away. For a moment there was total panic. He had been aware of Ty doing something then saw him running, diving into the water with some rope over his shoulder.

How still everything seemed to be as Ty reached the raft, secured a rope to it, and then started to swim back, pulling the raft. One man came over and cut the thong around his ankle and pushed him towards the lake.

Excited and relieved parents hugged their children to them and Kirk sat beside Ty for a minute unsure of what to do, saw how the rope had cruelly cut deep into him, saw how he had obviously smashed his foot to get it free from the binding, and saw how he struggled to get his breath back to normal. Ty had only rested a moment then very slowly got up and hobbled back to the stake in the centre of the village. That had clearly surprised the villagers as Ty made it clear to them that he understood and accepted he was a prisoner.

A villager roughly grabbed him, taken him back to where Ty had collapsed by the stake they had been tethered to, "You fix him."

"He needs medical," he had started wanting to let them know he did not know exactly what to do.

"You fix him."

Some time later a woman brought him some hot water and cloths, another woman brought him some hot thick soup, it seemed that every woman in the village brought him different things but they were still left tethered to the stake. Ty had made no sound as he had wiped his foot with the hot water and did the best he could to bind the shattered foot. He had felt the tension in the leg and heard the changes in his officer's breathing as he finished binding the foot. Ty had just nodded his thanks and rolled onto his side away from him and gone to sleep.

Ten nights later four men from the opposing group infiltrated the village and were headed toward the hut Kirk knew housed three new born babies and their mothers. Before he had time to know what would be the best thing to do he was aware of Ty moving, of Ty rushing at the four screaming as loud as he could. There had been a moment of bewilderment when the four invaders first saw him then they rushed at him and Kirk had seen, by the firelight, that each one of them had a long, thick-bladed knife. The village men were almost instantly there swarming over them.

One villager had quickly removed him from the stake and taken him into a hut, pointed at the fire, "Get warm. Stay here."

He moved to the fire and felt the warmth of the small fire. The only furnishing was a small bed but it was a warm hut. The upheaval outside had not lasted long.

Ty had been carried in, unconscious, bloody. As before, the villagers brought him all they could and Kirk knew that his medical skills were sadly lacking as he did all he could for his officer, knowing that the stab wounds were not only numerous but also deep, and was thankful that his officer was unconscious as he cleaned them and tried to dress them. When he had finished he sat beside him, trying not to sleep but the sudden feeling of security and the warmth of the fire defeated his attempts. He had woken in the morning to find he was covered by a blanket, the fire was still burning, and somehow Ty was still alive.

A man who was clearly the leader came into the hut, followed by two women each carrying a pile of clothes, "You will wear these. Your uniforms show you are dead. They no longer look for you as we told your ship of your death and one asks for them as proof.." he had looked at Ty, "He has shown us the truth. When he wakes we will talk. Give me uniforms when you have changed and changed him."

It had been strange to change another officer out of one uniform and into other clothes. He had, on occasion done it to Spock and Bones but, as he had stood looking down at Ty, dressed in the local garb, he knew it was the only thing he could do, what he had to do. Almost every movement had caused Ty to moan in pain but Kirk had continued. The man had taken the uniforms, looked briefly at Ty then back at him, "You are safe now. We will again contact your ship and tell them where to meet us. Our healer will care for him now." Five villagers had come in, one Kirk recognize as their healer for he had been the one to watch how he had tended to Ty earlier and nodded approvingly, and four lifted Ty while the healer gave instructions.

When he had started to follow the healer had turned and looked at him, "You stay. I will come back. He is beyond your help. I will do all I can but you stay here."

Stay. Eight days of being kept in the hut, briefly escorted out each night for a few minutes so he would stretch and get fresh air, and the healer only saying that Ty was still alive when he visited each day. The healer had told him that the four who had attacked had been outcasts and wanted to be put to death by their own for killing two children as sport. On the ninth day the healer had said, "He asked for you." and had led him across an inner compound to another slightly larger hut. "He has moments of awareness then the fever claims him again."

Cautiously Kirk reached out and placed a hand on his officer's shoulder, not allowing himself to look at the heavily bandaged chest and arms and trying not to hear the strained breathing, "It is Kirk."

For a moment a hellish pain was so clear about the light brown eyes that looked up at him made him look away, "Tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Take you, Comms. Contact ship."

Talking clearly was a strain for him but Kirk understood and looked at the healer who nodded. "They say when?"

"Only," a spasm of pain shook his body and Kirk realized both he and the healer had reached out to hold him. There was a weak strength in the hands that griped his arm as a series of spasms wracked the body. The effort to breath shook the whole body.

"The poison from in their knives is claiming him. I got most of it out but they stabbed him thirty-eight times so I did not get all of it. He will be in pain till it is done."

"How long before it is done?"

"In some it is only ten standard days and in others it has been up to twenty-nine days. But this many times," the man pulled back the blanket and Kirk saw the inflamed wounds, the tracks under his skin that Kirk knew indicated blood poisoning, "not many survive from. As with the others he will be like this till it is done. You will stay with him as he needs one of his own with him to cope and to encourage him to hold onto life. You will be safe in this hut."

"He said I would be taken to contact my ship."

The healer looked at him and Kirk knew the look from grey-green eyes meant the man was appraising him, "You would leave him like this?"

"No. I did not mean I want to go right now. If someone is with him. When he is sleeping, perhaps."

For a long time the healer looked at him in silence. Kirk was aware the older man saw how he was massaging Ty's shoulder, was trying to reassure him and comfort him while finding out what he needed to find out. Without taking his eyes from Kirk the healer reached out and placed a hand on Ty's forehead, then rolled him slightly and looked at his back and nodded, "Tomorrow I shall sit with him while you are taken to the place. We made contact with somebody called Uhura, I believe. One called Halls spoke over her and asked if your bodies and uniforms had been found. He was told yes and will tell us when they will return. You may talk briefly with this one called Uhura as we are only allowed a short time each day there. I do not like the sound of that one called Halls."

How hard it had been to contain his excitement at hearing they had made contact, that he would be allowed to talk with Uhura. He felt the hands gripping his arm and looked down at his officer, almost in a fetal position and clinging to his arm as wave after wave of pain wracked his body. The healer had not said if he would live, only said they would know when it was done, said his officer would endure this agony for ten to twenty-nine days.

"I'm here. You're safe now. I'm here." Ty's body was shaking and his forehead was shiny with perspiration. Slowly he had dipped a cloth into the small container of water and wiped his officer's face and neck. A mocking voice in his head saying, "So this is how Starfleet's finest captain looks after his crew. You should be the one in pain. It should be you, it should be you, it should be you."

"I will come early. Care for him."

Tomorrow he would he would able to talk to Uhura. If only he could talk with Spock, hear his voice, know what the situation was. Uhura would relay, verbatim, to Spock what he said. Spock would know what to do and would find out from McCoy what they could use as an antidote

Just as his Captain was clearly recalling the events up to that attack by Commodore Halls First Officer Spock was looking down and Kirk and also remembering all that had happened during Kikr's absence. He wondered if his friend and Captain was reliving the memories as clearly as he was and hoped not.

He had stared disbelievingly at Commodore Halls when only two had been beamed up after the emergency call to beam up that one signal. When it had only been the Commodore and Chekov. Almost immediately the Commodore had been on the defensive even as he helped get Chekov on the gurney he had said, "There was a group there waiting for us. We beamed into an ambush. Kirk and the other officer got us the time to beam back. They are both dead."


	2. Chapter 2

"We should send down," he had started.

"First Officer, under no circumstances are we sending down anybody else. It would not only endanger them but also be a clear breach of the Prime Directive. We cannot interfere. Do you think Kirk would?"

Only for a moment did he contemplate commenting but then remained quiet, the Commodore was right and could, if pushed, pull rank. Best to wait and see what his next action was before taking any direct action. The man was right abut one thing, Jim would not interfere, at least not immediately. He could not, would not, tell the Commodore that he was sure Jim was alive, that they had a bond and he would know if that bond were broken by death.

"I will be on the bridge. As per StarFleet regulations I am now in command of this ship." Halls looked at him as though expecting a challenge, "I guess my first duty is to inform the crew."

"I shall tell them." for some reason it had been said with more of an edge than he had intended. He had nodded to himself, he would tell the crew what the Commodore would expect but in a way they would understand he did not believe it nor accept it.

"Good. I am sure that the adjustment to having me as the new commanding officer will take some time but I know that Vulcans are respected for their loyalty to their commanding officer so I know we will maintain a superior bridge crew as the others, I have noticed, tend to follow your lead. To give the right impression I will not sit in my command seat until after you have informed them of my command status."

"If you will excuse me, Sir, I must prepare the message I have to deliver to the crew."

"That's fine, I understand you will want to make sure the wording is exact so there can be no misunderstanding about the present status. That I am now in charge. They need to know Kirk is dead and I am now in command of this ship."

He had looked at the Commodore sitting in Jim's place. "There will be no mistaking the meaning and content of my message."

"Good." Halls had smiled at him, "I would not want there to be any disruption to the smooth running of my ship. No insubordination or vain feelings of betrayal. Kirk died in the line of duty."

"As did Officer Baylance, Sir."

"Oh, oh yes him too."

In his quarters he had sat for a long time trying to think of the words that would say what the Commodore would want said and yet would let the crew know he did not believe it. Something brief yet to the point. Slowly the words came to him and he called for a meeting of the senior bridge crew and, when they had all gathered, he had Uhura put them on shipwide. Only having known and studied the crew for as long has he had enabled him to see the resentment of Commodore Halls sitting in the command chair.

"This is First Officer Spock." the Vulcan looked for and met the steady blue eyes of Doctor McCoy and held his gaze, "It has been reported that both Officer Ty Baylance and Captain James T. Kirk have died on the planet. As per regulations upon the reported death of a commanding officer of any ship an officer of higher or equal rank will take command." he saw the doctor slowly comprehend what he was really saying and give an almost imperceptible nod.

He glanced around the bridge and looked at Uhura and saw a slight uncertainty about her eyes, "With the reported death of Captain Kirk, Commodore Halls will be in command of the Enterprise. I know I can rely on all of you following procedure and orders. Officer Baylance was with Captain Kirk. Spock out."

Commodore Halls nodded with satisfaction and slowly looked around him with a barely hidden smugness. Spock saw how the others looked at him and at McCoy and saw, unsurprisingly, that it was Uhura who nodded first in understanding as she had obviously seen the look the two of them had exchanged.

He had heard the Chief Engineer start, "I'd nae think ye'd give up on the Captain like,"

"Scotty, I came up to get you and Chekov and take you to Sickbay for your checkups." the doctor put a hand on the arm of the engineer which seemed to silence him and just looked at the young helmsman. "Not a word of your usual protest." The doctor had turned and looked at the Commodore, "They are usually the last for the quarterly check-ups."

"I do not see how it is necessary. The standard is annual."

McCoy had momentarily rock on his heels, something he had noticed the doctor did when annoyed and trying to be diplomatic. "That is true but t**he Enterprise and its crew are better than standard,** Sir, and I intend to keep it that way." It was almost a challenge and he wondered if this time McCoy had met his match as he had already discovered Halls knew the regulations, and was not afraid to use them.

"Others manage very well on,"

"Others, Sir, are not the Enterprise. However, if you want to lessen the standards and efficiency of the Enterprise to the level of all the others, if you want to make this crew mediocre and are content to be in charge of j**ust another ship** in the fleet instead of letting me do my job of maintaining the high standards that make the Enterprise **THE ship** of the fleet with the crew many strive to be a part of I will not stop you. Miser Spock, if I am needed I will be playing cards in my office. You may like to join me later for a game or two."

McCoy had taken two steps towards the turbolift on his own when Halls said, "No. No, no, that is a good practice. Mister Scott and Mister Chekov will go with you. Continue." fortunately Halls had turned away before McCoy did an imitation curtsey, gave him a smile, and herded Scott and Chekov away.

Uhura had linked arms with Sulu, "And I want your help with that problem on the Communications console in the main Briefing room"

He had momentarily closed his eyes as he realized Commodore Halls was right, the senior bridge crew would follow whatever direction he led them him. He had no doubt that both McCoy and Uhura were explaining to the others that something was afoot even if they had no idea what. They had noticed he had said reported deaths.

After the senior bridge crew had been gone twenty-one point eight minutes he had walked up to the Commodore, "If I may I would like to ensure that Engineer Scott goes directly to Engineering after his examination as he has a tendency to imbibe a small amount between the examination and returning to work."

"But, but I thought he was one of the top,"

"You will find no better engineer in Starfleet, Sir. He is always able to preform his duties but on these occasions he has been up to six point eight standard minutes late in reporting but his work and standards are always of the highest standards."

"Go and tell him I will not tolerate the same slackness Kirk clearly did."

As he walked away he had regretted that he may have told of the Engineer's one weakness. "A swallow to steady me nerves." was what Scott said it was for and it was only ten milliliters and only after what the human crew found extremely stressful situations.

When he walked into Sick Bay he found the five of them there as he had suspected.

"What is going on, Sir?" Uhura looked at him and he knew she was asking what the others wanted to know as well.

"I am not entirely certain, Lieutenant. I need to ask you, Chekov, two questions and you need to think before you answer them,"

"Sir."

"How long after you beamed down were you attacked and did anything unusual happen before you were attacked ?"

"There was nothing wrong on beam down, we were starting to use our tricorders," Chekov looked at him, "Commodore Halls asked me to assist him, I took four maybe five steps from the Keptin then remember nothing."

"What were you to assist the Commodore with?"

"He only said 'Chekov, assist me now''", there was the dawning of understanding the officer's eyes. "He knew they were there, didn't he?"

"Everything points to the fact that the Commodore is behind this and is after the Enterprise."

Sulu had looked at him, "Ty would not go easily, Sir. He would not have let them kill the Captain while he had a breath in him. Why in his instruction to beam up was it only for a lock on him? If they are dead,"

"We do not know the circumstances but I firmly believe Captain Kirk and Officer Baylance are alive on that planet and I believe that the Commodore is behind this." for a moment he looked at Sulu, "Perhaps my belief in the Captain and Officer Baylance being alive is incorrect but I am going to do everything in my power to find out."

"**No you are not, Spock!**" McCoy had flared at him and then seemed to calm, "I am sorry but **you are wrong there**, Spock." McCoy had walked over to him and looked at him, "You are not going to do everything, **we are.** Just tell us what** we** can do."

Although he had suspected it would be like that he was heartened to hear that he would not be acting alone. Time and time again he had seen this band of his shipmates, of his friends, work together. "Right now I require Mister Scott to drink some whisky before he returns to Engineering."

"Lad, have ye gone mad."

From a cabinet he knew the doctor kept an emergency supply McCoy poured a little in a glass and handed to the Engineer who had just looked at it for a moment.

"I apologize, Mister Scott, but in order to leave the bridge I fabricated that just a sip of an inebriant steadied you after an examination by Doctor McCoy and that I would come down and deal with you."

"Oh," Scott looked levelly at Spock as he raised the glass, "Consider me dealt with and may your plan succeed, soon."

After the others had gone McCoy looked at him, "Want to tell me what that was about?"

"A deception, Doctor. I had to get off the bridge to talk with you without the Commodore around.."

McCoy smiled, "You sure come out with schemes almost as harebrained as Jim's. Do you really think there is a chance?"

"The Captain and I have linked so many times, Doctor, that there is a residual effect. I would feel his death, Doctor. Also I have seen Officer Baylance in action many times. If they are alive and together, I am certain no harm will come to the Captain."

"Baylance is not in security, is he?"

"No, when you read his file it seems he is a routine crew member with many skills but one who does not like specializing nor staying in one department too long. You and I both gave him very high ratings when on rotation in the science departments and Mister Scott wanted him to stay in engineering." He remember he had paused and how concerned McCoy had been,

"What, what's wrong, Spock?"

"It seems illogical but he seemed to openly distrust computers and used to prefer to physically or mentally work through a problem."

McCoy had smiled, "Ah yes, the time he broke his little finger after slamming his fist down on a fluctuating display unit you were having some difficulty fixing. It did fix the problem."

"In a highly suspect manner, yes. He is, when you really delve into what his records do not show, one of Starfleet's rare officers, a Situation Adaptive Specialist . If memory serves there are only five highly trained and skilled specialists in the Fleet and he has the highest rating in the application of practical knowledge under all tested conditions in six fields."

"Jim's never mentioned that. He's told me about the other crew and their special fields."

"I doubt if he knows, Doctor. It was in his records but in an encrypted file. I could only access a very small portion of it but it seems he was one for years before he joined the Enterprise and joined the Enterprise at Captain Pike's request. His time on the Enterprise has been as a what is termed an all-arounder as he can fill almost any position on the ship with a notation he is not to be put in a security role."

"He beamed down with them as a science officer with Chekov as security." As he had watched he could see McCoy was understanding his line of thinking.

"That is why the Commodore ensured that he had Chokov."

"A scapegoat. Leave Jim and Baylance in who knows what condition and get the ship. He does have a ego problem." McCoy shook his head and had looked at him,

"But the Captain does not know the truth about Baylance's abilities."

"And that's why you are so certain that he will make sure Jim is safe." McCoy had nodded.

"That and that through the subtle link I have with Jim. The awareness of his being. I would know if he were dead."

"Migawd, no wonder you Vulcans don't get emotionally involved. If you have an awareness of the being of those closest to you it must be hell when," McCoy had stopped and looked at him, "I'm sorry Spock, I,"

"It is quite alright Doctor. Just as you do not understand the Vulcan way there are many, many of your ways that are just as , if not extremely more perplexing to me."

During the night Ty was feverish and he kept wiping his face and as much of Ty's chest as was possible with a dampened cool cloth. At his core he knew he should be as his officer was as he was the commanding officer, he had sworn to be not only be fully responsible for his crew but should have reacted as his officer had. Ty was not even a Security Officer. Uphold the Prime Directive. Protect crew and ship. Some unbalanced Commodore with delusions of omnipotence had his ship.


	3. Chapter 3

No, Kirk stopped himself, not unbalanced for Commodore Halls had obviously had this planned well in advance. He would have known of the civil war, would have known leaders, would have been able to set everything in place. He had even come aboard the Enterprise to assess its operation. Several times on the bridge Halls had commented on the unlimited power of the ship, of how nobody would defy it, not with its reputation and its abilities.

Just as the sky was showing a clear dawn the healer walked in and Kirk saw how he immediately felt Ty's forehead, ran his hand down to the chest where he lightly pressed the sternum, nodding when Ty gave a slight moan, "The poison is still deep within him, still trying to claim him but he is fighting. You go now. I will sit with him."

"Will he,"

The healer looked at him, "He may know you have gone and stop fighting or he may not know. You must go talk with your ship, he wants you to. He will be alive when you return or he will be dead."

Reluctantly Kirk released the hand in his and looked steadily at the healer, "I will want to know of any change, anything he might say."

"On your return I will tell you of what I noticed and heard. Go now. We must be on time."

It had been a long walk to the communication centre and he was aware of the others around him when he sat down and spoke, "Enterprise this is," he paused and thought frantically what Uhura would recognize but not any others who might be monitoring for Halls, "Tymanda, Enterprise, this is Tymanda."

"Tymanda, this is the Enterprise. You are not a recognized official." that calm and controlled voice. "I regret we are all unable to communicate or talk further to you on this call but we are directed to only communicate with the recognized central officials. You should not be on this frequency. You are aware of this?"

There was no mistaking that she knew it was him, there was so much she had told him yet was still sounding like the thorough professional she was. Halls had told them they could only talk with his people, that Halls was on the bridge and was obviously watching her closely. "Enterprise, this is Tymanda. I understand the need to communicate only with recognized officials. We apologise for our error. Tymanda out."

"I must logically log your broadcast but no official action will be taken as it was an error and no harm was done. It is not like reddened marks identified us. It is the circle of life with one watching all. A search for reality. Enterprise out."

For a moment he sat and looked at the speaker as though willing more of that voice to fill the room. She knew what he meant and had let him know that she would tell Spock. Also he now knew that Halls was not totally familiar with the ship and had done nothing to it, in fact they were heading back. Why would Halls head back to the scene of a crime?

"We must go now. It is good that you spoke with her." a youth handed him a jacket, "It is cold now."

The walk back to the village seemed to take longer but that was, Kirk knew, due to the cold weather and the thoughts that kept tumbling in his mind were of what Uhura had said.

At the entrance door to the hut they had been in the healer met him and blocked his view of the interior. "We need to talk."

"Is he,"

"We need to talk." the healer put a hand on his arm and led him to another hut, handed him a mug of hot liquid not unlike coffee, waited till he had sipped some of it, "He is still alive but the poison has full possession of his body and mind. I have seen others as he is and they have died in agony. To be humane you would have us place him outside for the night. In the cold he would go into a deeper sleep and die. It would be best to do so and for you not to see him again."

"Why? What," he started to stand but sat as two hands pushed him back into the chair and he again was looking at the healer.

"It is best you not see how he suffers. He is one of your people and it would upset you to see him as he is. To ensure he does not hurt others we have had to bind him as we were unable to restrain him when the fever took possession of him."

"I," slowly but very deliberately he stood up, forcing the hands to let go of his shoulders, "I am his commanding officer and I need to see him."

The healer nodded, "It is good that you want to see him, even if you say it is for duty." the old man looked at him, "Do not feel the guilt of not doing your duty, for not protecting him. He did it for you as you, not as duty. He also did it for us who had treated you both badly. We will live with that shame." slowly the man moved so he could walk, "You may see him. Remember your options. It is your decision. You must think for him. As his commanding officer you must know an easy death is better than what he is going through." The healer looked steadily at him. No, not at him but into him, "As a friend you must know what he would want to do."

When he had gone into the hut he saw Ty was laying on a mat on the floor, now they had him on the mat but with his ankles bound together and staked to the floor, his wrists bound together with his arms stretched above his head and also staked to the floor. As Kirk watched he saw how unrelenting waves of pain wracked the body before him, heard the low moan each time his officer exhaled. The woman who had been wiping his face and shoulders stood, briefly put her hand on Ty's forehead, then left. Looking at his officer alone on the floor he heard part of his mind treacherously say the healer was right, it would be the most humane thing to do, to let him die at night in the cold while he slept, he would just drift into a coma and then die, he would not know. As he had stood looking down at Ty he knew Ty could be like that, in that much pure agony, for another three weeks and still die and to just place him outside the hut for the night would spare him all..

There had been a series of severe convulsive shaking then a clear, "Kirk!" that was beseeching yet terror-filled, like one calling out in desperation and fear.

Only for a heartbeat did he hesitate as the shock of the pain and fear in the voice subsided in him. Without thinking what could happen he grabbed a knife, rushed to Ty, cut the tightly bound wrists and hugged the trembling body to him.

An anger had momentarily filled him as questions collided in his mind. Had Ty called out before for him? What had happened then? Had they ignored his fear and left him secured? "I'm here, Ty. I'm here. It's going to be all right. Spock will know by now. They will come back and Bones can take care of you. You just have to fight this a bit longer. You just have to hold on. Just hold on." Two arms wrapped around him and he felt the slight power that was still there, and the trembling in them. Slowly he started to rub the officer's back and looked over at the healer, "That's right, you hold onto me. You just hold on."

The healer walked over and indicated the secured ankles, cutting them free when he nodded. "He clearly said, fifteen times, something about having to protect Kirk for Spock and called out Kirk fifty-one times despite the pain. People with the poison possessing them often say things that mean nothing."

"How, how long has he been tied down? What, what did you do when he called out for me? You told me you would not leave him."

"Shortly after you left he started to fight us to find you as poison's fever grew. I was with him but we had to secure him, he seemed to know you had gone, the fever gave him more strength. He seemed to believe they had you. We did for him what we could to calm him but the poison has control of him. He did not know,"

"**He knows**. **He knows I'm here.** He would have known I was not here and would have thought either they or," suddenly he stopped as the arms around him hugged him tighter. Taking a deep breath he realized that he had made the choice to leave his officer and instinctively hugged him tighter, "I'm sorry. I know you did your best for him. Thank you."

"You talked with your people?"

"Yes. Thank you for that."

"It is what we told him we would do for you." the healer looked levelly at Kirk, "You must now decide what you will do for him."

"I'm going to stay right here with him till my ship and crew return."

"That will take time."

He felt the spasms of pain shaking his officer despite how tightly he held him, "I know how long it will take. I will stay with him." He met the gaze of the healer and slowly rubbed the officer's back, "**I will wait with him**. I will sit and hold him. Can you get me something to wipe him with?"

The healer did not move, "So you will not let him die in the night?"

"He may die during the night, but he will die in here, with me. I will not kill him with the cold. If he is to die **he will not die alone**."

A smile momentarily flickered across the healer's face, one of satisfaction, "**Good.** You do not do this out of duty alone. You are worthy of one such as this. You will be brought food for yourself and cloths soaked in herbal teas to wipe him with to help him fight the poisons."

"Can I also have some water for him? He needs to take some fluids." Kirk was appalled at how easy it was to feel the bones of his officer when he knew the man had been muscular and solid only two weeks before.

"No, liquids feed the poison otherwise we would have given him some. You must keep his body cool and wet his mouth with some hot herbal tea but do not give him any to drink. Tomorrow you may take him to the pool if his body remains too hot."

Throughout the night he was brought herbal teas for himself along with a variety of light meals as well as cool damp cloths he used to wipe his officer with. He had laid his officer back down to be able to easier care for him and had sat holding his hand in one hand with his other hand slowly wiping the fevered face and upper body with the cool cloths. He was the senior officer, it was his responsibility to care for and protect his officers: he had failed this officer badly. He had the training and should have known how to act and react the two times this officer had in his place. Even in his pain this officer had thought of him.

As he had been rinsing one of the cloths he had been using he paused as he saw Ty's blood. What Uhura had said about reddened marks. Blood. The bloodied uniforms. Halls needed the proof the bloodied uniforms would give him to convince the crew and Starfleet. That would be the reality the crew would accept. They would be able to verify that it was his and Ty's blood on the uniforms.

Although he had not been aware of doing it as he wiped the body with the odorous cloths he stopped when he felt himself momentarily shake. He had thought he was merely cleaning the wounds and had not been conscious of counting them. Thirty-eight. The healer had said that before and he had not accepted it but now he had seen them, had counted them, had seen how inflamed they were with infection. He had sat carefully wiping the wounds and slowly accepted that they were wounds he should have had. They were the wounds of a frenzied attack. some of them deep and the rest superficial. They both had seen what was going to happen. He should have acted. yet he had not acted. He had told himself that he had upheld the Prime Directive. Ty had clearly reacted instinctively. Ty had done what he should have done.

There had been so many times he had helped Bones with emergency medical treatments. He had helped Bones many times, had done on field medical work with him, yet this was so different, so very different. Not only did this involve Ty's entire body but he had none of the equipment, instruments, nor medicines at hand that he had had those times. This was a planet centuries behind them in development. This was basic almost primitive relying on what Spock would call rattles and bearskins. Simple hot water potions and tactile presence. He had shaken his head. He knew that he would have to tell Bones how great a modern Sickbay is. How could he ever again complain about the treatments he received in Sickbay after this? He had not allowed himself to ask how he would have survived for he knew it would make him think of the pain Ty was enduring.

Early the next morning, before the dawn sky was fully lit, Ty had still been very hot and the healer had walked with him carrying Ty to where there was a rock pool by the river. "It will cool him but you must not become too cold." the healer had looked at him. "The water is coolest now and would be best for him but you would get too cold too fast. Perhaps you should wait."

Wait. It was the word his mind had whispered two times before when he should have acted as Ty had. He had waited when he saw what happened at the river and he had waited when he saw the marauders, both times he should have been the one to act. He could not and would not wait this time. He could feel the tremors Ty was having, he could feel the infection, the inflammation, raising his body temperature far too much. Ty's body felt like there was a bed of embers in him just waiting to burst into flame and consume the body. He was not going to let that happen.

Cool was not the word for the water, it was frigid. He felt his body take a moment to adjust to the chill as he had first lain down in it and started to hold Ty. He still could feel how hot Ty's body had seemed across his chest even through the clothes he was wearing separated him from Ty's infected flesh. Once the healer had positioned Ty in the pool he had only felt the warmth of Ty's body along his side and where his right arm cradled Tys head above the water with his hand resting on Ty's chest. His own head resting on his left arm to keep his head out of the water.

Time had had no meaning. There had been so much to plan for but he was so cold it seemed best just to watch changing colors of sky as the sun rose. He was only aware when the healer called out to him that the sun was high in the sky and the water was slightly warmer. "That is enough for today. Now you must get warm."

If ever a fire's warmth had felt better Kirk could not remember and he was annoyed that the healer had made him sit by the fire to get warm while he sat with Ty. When he looked over at the healer he had seen the same look about the healer as he worked on Ty as he had seen so many times on the face of his Chief Medical Officer and knew there had been a change but not a significant one. The time in the water had clearly cooled him down but the poison still coursed through his body. Ty was still obviously only just holding onto life.

"My ship is on its way back. They are after the uniforms."

"I know," the healer looked at him, "Our young spoke last night with the one called Halls. They return in six days."

"Did, was he able to say anything to Uhura?" he had struggled to stay calm as Halls had no right to be at the Communications station and had moved over and placed a hand on Ty's shoulder not knowing if it was to reassure Ty or ground himself.


	4. Chapter 4

"No, but before Halls took over they said they heard her say that a trio had an idea for imports but that she could have been speaking to others."

A trio had an idea for imports. He had smiled and squeezed the shoulder under his hand, Scotty, Bones, and Spock were working on an idea to beam them back to the ship.

"Thank you. Is he,"

"If you do not allow us to secure him then you will have to hold and restrain him as the fever again is building in him. He will need many trips to the pool." the healer had looked at him.

"I will take him to the pools as the sun sets."

"One of the people will help you."

For the next five days that had been the routine of a long soak in the pool at dawn and another long soak at dusk and daily body washing with hot herbal lotions and minuscule sips of hot herbal tea. There was no noticeable change in Ty's condition apart from him not thrashing so much at night. Kirk had been able to sleep through the last two nights without having to hold Ty.

Spock remembered how McCoy had looked at him after he had said that he was uncertain how James Kirk would react should Ty Baylance have given his life to save him.

McCoy had just looked at him and said, "Well, we, you and I, just have to make sure that doesn't happen now, don't **we?**

"

He had wanted to point out not only how typically illogical but also how impractical the statement was because of the myriad of factors they did not know. He wanted to remind McCoy that they had to accept that they had no way of preventing it from happening. He knew that the doctor understood that they had no way of knowing exactly where the Captain was nor in what condition he was which also compounded their inability to prevent any action on the planet. He had wanted to but somehow that look of hopeful determination in the blue eyes let him know that McCoy firmly believed they could do it.

There had been so much trust and certainty in the look that he had just nodded, "What I want to do now, Doctor, is use your computer to find our more about Commodore Halls. I must use your computer as he would no doubt notice a direct inquiry into his records. I am unsure,"

"Oh," McCoy had rocked on his heels for a moment, " You are concerned about that cough of his as well and want to check if there was anything on the planet he might have an allergy to."

McCoy's remarks at first had surprised him but quickly realized that should the Commodore wish to report an investigation into his records McCoy could say there was a medically justifiable reason. He also realized that it would explain why he was not on the Bridge.

With fascination he watched as McCoy had picked up a small device he recognized as a intership personal communicator that the doctor quickly secured under his shirt, "Records to that," he had pointed to a small device on the desk, "as well as to," he had held out another small personal communicator, "only this one."

As he had taken it he realized he would hear what was said on the Bridge, would be able to gauge when he had to return, to the Bridge and realized that McCoy would bear the brunt of the Commodore's fury should he be caught. Before he had a chance to voice his concerns McCoy had left.

It had not taken him long to find a way through the security used to protect the Commodore's files when accessed though medical records. While he had been prepared for a few comments regarding the man's manner he was not fully prepared for the complaints about his inability to command, his lack of understanding of front-line crew, and noted how the only things he had been the captain of were small short-distance escort ships and transporters stationed around planets. He excelled in exact and comprehensive reports but there was a notation that he was never again to be in the position of Captain of any ship larger than a shuttle.

He had been staring at the last sixteen words when the speaker seemed to come to life.

"Where is Mister Spock?" the annoyance had been clear in the Commodore's voice.

"Checking on the possible pollen allergies you may suffer and the plant life on that planet. I asked him to check for me as I wanted to make sure you were not displaying any other symptoms."

"I have displayed no symptoms of any kind."

"You coughed upon beam up from the planet."

"**I am the Captain of this ship and** I tell you that was just,"

"In medical matters you will find, Sir, that **I outrank you** and I will not have even the remotest of possibilities that your cough was not just an allergy go un-investigated. If it is not an allergy I want to find out what caused it."

"Doctor, we are returning to the planet and I will lead the landing party,"

"Only if I give medical clearance for you to do so."

"I will be,"

Even as he raced the the Bridge he had heard McCoy in his full protective mood, "I am the Chief Medical Officer on this ship. As all that is said on this Bridge is recorded it is on record that I have told you of my need to investigate what caused that cough and that Ii believe it could be a pollen. If necessary my report,"

The panic was almost palpable in the Commodore's voice, "No! There is no need for a report to be sent. I am sure,"

As he had walked onto the Bridge McCoy had looked at him and only having known the man for so long and so well had he seen the relief when McCoy looked at him, "Ah, Mister Spock, did you find any unusual lplants that could have pollen that Commodore Halls might be allergic to?"

"I told you, Doctor McCoy, that I am fine." Halls had looked from him to McCoy and then back at him.

"Doctor McCoy is the finest doctor in Starfleet. If you even give his record the most cursory of looks you will find he,"

"I know that but this mission,"

Ignoring what Halls had said but looking right at the man he had continued, "Is the most tediously pedantic researcher before he considers the best treatment for a patient. What many medical personnel would ignore Doctor McCoy is insistent on a thorough investigation to ensure that whatever the causitive agent is it does not present a danger to the crew of this ship"

"But I only coughed one. Surely,"

"Neither you nor I am as medically trained as Doctor McCoy. It is obvious that as you did not cough when you first beamed aboard the Enterprise yet did when you beamed up from the planet that Doctor McCoy believes there is an unknown causative agent. As the Chief Medical Officer of this ship it is his obligation to this ship, to find out what caused you to cough. Engineering has done a sweep along with the biological sciences of the transporter and found minute samples of botanical residue to be investigated. I am,"

"Fine. Fine." The Commodore had stood up and looked, no, glared, at him. "**Enough!** Did you find any reason and I want a short answer."

"There were a number of grasses and trees with pollen that can cause a minor and momentary reaction. It is most likely you had a delayed reaction to the inhalation of some of the pollen."

"Good, good, then you believe he poses no risk?" McCoy had looked at him.

"I will be going down to the planet with him and will be able to assess his condition for you, Doctor." As he had looked at McCoy he knew that they both knew who he was really talking about.

Halls had looked at Uhura in almost a threatening way, "Communications Officer, what was that remark about? What exactly did you mean when, just as I was about the talk with the contact on the planet you called out about a trio having and idea for imports?"

As he had looked at Uhura he realized something had taken place when he had been in Sickbay and before McCoy had returned. The Commodore had again made contact with the planet and Uhura had obviously tried to get another message to Jim. Uhura had kept looking at him,

"Communisations Officer, you will answer me or I will again send you to your quarters."

Three times before the Commodore had sent her to her quarters for not telling him what her talks with an unknown contact really meant. She had told him that there was no real way of confirming who she was talking with at any one time nor where they were. She reminded him that it was permissible to talk with unknown as long as not tactical information was exchanged. Commodore Halls had been furious and sent her to her quarters under isolation conditions for three days at a time. As he had kept looking at him he had seen that deep determination in her.

Slowly Uhura had turned and faced the Commodore for a moment then looked back at him, "I am sorry he spoiled the surprise, Sir, but three of us were thinking of getting you a surprise for your birthday, I thought if some others on Bridge wanted to be involved that was the best way to tell them." She had turned and glared at the Commodore, "If you want to isolate me again for that go ahead. **Do it** and just see what happens."

When Commodore Halls had looked back at him Spock had seen how Uhura's reaction had shaken him. He also saw that the man had no idea that Uhura had let Jim know they were going to get him back to the ship. "First Officer, you and two Security Officers will beam down with me to a location the contact gave me. It is not where we beamed down but it is where the remains of the uniforms of Officer Baylance are. We will go down, search for any remains and then we are to officiate at a treaty meeting between the two warring factions. It seems just having my ship here settled the dispute."

For a moment he had stood still but looked around and saw that the others were aware he would control Halls.

When Halls had turned and looked directly at Uhura she had just kept looking at her board and ignored him till he had moved to stand beside her. It was clear that he realized that she was not going to look at him, "I trust you will have no difficulty remaining in contact with us at all times."

"No trouble at all, Sir. All systems are fully operational and will be recording."

"Good. It is a given that only I will talk to the people we encounter as I am the commanding officer. I know the questions that must be asked and just how to ask them. We will not be gone long".

One of the women who had often brought him his meals woke him early that last day. She set before him the usual meal and held out a shiny stone which he held in his hand, "I am told that off-world it is valued. Use it to help him."

Throughout most of the morning after he had taken Ty to the pool there had been a steady steam of tribe members who came and all gave him a large shiny stone. The son of the elder looked at Ty for a long time then walked over and knelt beside him before slowly holding out a Starfleet issue phaser. "I saw you taken. This was there after. It may be his. You care for him and it."

How strangely comforting it had been to feel that phaser in his hand and he looked at the youth, "I will."

"It is him and you being here that means there will be peace. They have seen we have the power to protect our own they did not know before. They did not see you send him. They saw him save our young and heard what was done to those four. Your ship returns and we will have peace." The youth had looked at Ty and almost fearfully reached out and touched him, "Those four would have killed my woman who was giving birth to my son. You knew he would warn us as you knew he would save our young. You will care for him."

All Kirk could do was nod, the man clearly thought he had told Ty to warn them.

"Our young will know of you and him."

Others came and the last to walk in, aided by the healer, was an elderly woman who just sat just looking at him for a long time then at Ty before back it him. She reached out and took his right hand in her left hand and Ty's left hand in her right hand then closed her eyes, "I cannot help keep him here, he will not let me." she had smiled, "He says it is not my fight. Says he has only to get you home." the woman was silent for a moment and he had felt her grip his hand lightly tighter, " The poison fever is strong in him. He will get you home and there, by a knife, you will wear the same blood. You will stay and he will have to fight to stay. If you and others help him fight he will stay. While others will help it is you who must make him want to stay. You must use our ways and the ways of old. Use your healing on him later if he stays. If you care about him you will make him want to stay with you. With you, the one called Spock who cares for you, and the one with blue eyes who knows healing who care for both of you." She looked at him, "He knows you and this Spock are closer than brothers and that the one with blue eyes is almost family to you two and for that reason above all others he knows he must get you back. This Spock and the one with blue eyes **may help** you but **you must decide** how to make him fight and accept what is to be done for and with him. It will be most painful for him and take a long time. You all must be willing. He will not fight when he knows you are safe unless you all help him to fight for life."

The old woman had released their hands then very briefly laid her hands on Ty's face and closed her eyes before removing them and had looked at him. "The poison fever has him but he fights. He said not as bad as Tea Plotact. He is fighting but the poison fever is strong. Use our ways then your own but give him a reason to fight when you are safe. Thank him for us"

Two other elders had come in, thanked him, and taken the elderly woman away. The elder came in with the healer and two of his aids. The elder spoke with some sadness in his voice, "The one called Halls has arrived with others some distance from here. We must bring them here as is tradition. **You must be prepared for what must happen."**

Momentary fury flashed through him with one thought, **betrayed.**

Then watched as the healer walked slowly over to Ty and, with the help of his aids, expertly tethered him to the floor before pouring some liquid down his throat then some died powder before some other thicker liquid which it seemed he was choking on. When he went to move the elder stilled him with a tight grip, "It **must be** like this."

The healer's aids left and the healer approached him and rubbed some of the thick liquid through his hair and on his face before pouring some on the fire and tossing some of the powder on the fire. "You must let it fill the hut with smoke, you must face the fire but so they can see you, and you must just keep saying in a low voice, malathoa, malathoa. Here," the man put a small stone in his mouth, "so you do not sound like you."

Ty started to moan and the healer looked at Kirk, "It must be like this if you are to return. He will be as he was for two days. You must just sit by the fire and repeat what you were told and not go to him. Those who come who know you will know and the others will not." When they left all he was aware of were Ty's guttural moans and the thick smoke that smelt like pine and burnt wool.


	5. Chapter 5

They had beamed down into a settlement, an encampment. It was, as he had looked around, a mix of what was clearly an indication of the living conditions found when a nomadic civilization was establishing a settlement. There were sixty-nine huts all of a similar structure size, five others slightly larger, and a central area slightly covered with a fire at its center, obviously a gathering place.

Two old men walked up to them and he had seen that they were carrying the blue shirt that Baylance would have worn and the gold shirt the Captain would have worn. Both shirts were badly torn and had bloodstains on them.

He had waved his tricorder over each one and seen the confirmation as to them being the shirts of Baylance and the Captain. He looked at the way they were torn as they did not appear to have been torn the way one would expect in a fight.

"Well, Science Officer, are those are are those not the uniforms of the missing personnel?"

"These **are** Captain Kirk's and Officer Ty Baylance's belongings, according to these blood stains."

"**Good, good** in that we have **physical proof** of their having been here. There is no trace of their blood around here?"

There was a wrenching scream from one of the huts.

"What was that?" Halls' was clearly suspicious.

"One of the tribe is dying and his brother sits waiting with him in the medicine hut, there."

Halls had walked over and looked in but not ventured into the hut for smoke had billowed out as soon as he pulled aside the flap that worked as a door. He had coughed a few times, "Too smoky and dim to see but they look like two older men and one is definitely about to die. We have proof they are dead. Time to get back to the ship and back to business."

There was another guttural scream, and he had seen how clearly vexed Halls was and hesitant. "Check it out, Mister Spock. Damned regulations require it."

He had walked into the hut in a half-crouch and looked around. He saw Jim sitting by a very smoky fire looking very dirty and not sounding like himself at all. Jim had smiled and briefly held a small stone between his teeth obviously to explain why his voice was different. He knew Jim had found it difficult to keep chanting but he had while he had gone over to where Ty Baylance lay staked to the ground. Carefully he reached out and touched his face, quickly drawing his hand back. He could not recall ever feeling that much pain in a Human nor that much heat emanating from a Human before. He had often heard McCoy talk about a person burning up with fever, he had not believed it possible until he had felt Baylance.

"Report Mr Spock,"

He had gone back to be with Kirk and crouched next to him, "Just checking the other one, Sir. You are correct. One **is** near death."

"The other?"

Reassuringly he had squeezed Kirk's hands into his Captain's and closest friend's eyes and whispered, "Be ready for beam out." then said, "He seems to be a some sort of trance, Sir. No doubt caused by the smoke. It is most."

"That's enough. We got what we came for. They say their children found the clothes down by that site we registered a major conflict on four days ago. They said the wild dogs would have eaten anything worth eating. Still, we will go and have a look as then we can tell the crew we did search and they will think better of me when the Enterprise is mine."

He had not wanted to leave Jim but know he had to and when he got out of the hut and stood by Halls he said, "I should advise the ship we are going to that location, Sir."

"Yes, tell them we are going there and will be ready for beam up in two standard hours."

"Enterprise this is First Officer Spock,"

"Enterprise here, Communications Officer Uhura, Sir."

Having been on the Bridge so many times when such a communication came from a planet he knew they would be listening, that Uhura would have it on speaker, "We are now leaving these coordinates and going to approximately twenty kilometres due south of this location. Our group will require beam up shortly, in two, I repeat two, standard hours from that location. Understood?" .

"To clarify, Sir. From your present location two, two hours from the other location, just to the south of your location."

"That is right, Lieutenant. I will notify you if there is any change."

"**Understood,** Sir, Uhura out."

Kirk thought he had lived through many ordeals but this was one of the worst, he was sitting in a smoke-filled hut, chanting, and having to listen to his officer moaning with a deep pain. He had heard the voices and at first recognized Halls's voice, "Mister Spock, is that the blood of the missing two officers?"

There was the faint whirr of the tricorder then that beloved voice, "These **are** Captain Kirk's and Ty Baylance's belongings according to these blood stains."

"Good, goodin that we **have physical proof** of their having been here. There is no trace of their blood around here?"

Ty gave a gut wrenching scream and Kirk had to remember his role, remember what he had to do for everybody's sake.

"**What was that?**" Halls' was clearly suspicious.

"One of the tribe is dying and his brother sits waiting with him in the medicine hut, there."

Halls had looked in and Kirk kept staring at the fire saying,"Malathoa, malathoa malathoa, malathoa." with a stone in his mouth. He was aware of the man staring at him then looking over at the tethered body before stepping back. "Too smoky and dim to see but they look like two older men and one is definitely about to die. We have proof they are dead. Time to get back to the ship and back to business." Ty again gave a scream, it was guttural and Kirk saw his body twitching and arching in pain then go still.

"Check it out, Mister Spock, damned regulations." Spock walked in in a half-crouch and looked at Kirk. It was difficult to keep chanting when he so wanted to do nothing more than hold his First Officer to him but he sat repeating, "Malathoa, malathoa," and watched while Spock went over to where Ty lay. He saw the Vulcan twice do a mind touch, the second taking longer, then saw the slight nod.

"Report Mr Spock,"

"Just checking the other one, Sir. You are correct. One **is** near death."

"The other?"

Quickly Spock squeezed his hands as he looked into Kirk's eyes, and whispered, "Be ready for beam out." Then said, "He seems to be a some sort of trance, Sir. No doubt caused by the smoke. It is most."

"**That's enough**. We got what we came for. They say their children found the clothes down by that site we registered a major conflict on four days ago. They said the wild dogs would have eaten anything worth eating. Still, we will go and have a look as then we can tell the crew we did search and they will think better of me **when the Enterprise is mine**."

"I should advise the ship we are going to that location, Sir."

"Yes, tell them we are going there and will be ready for beam up in two standard hours."

"Enterprise this is First Officer Spock,"

"Enterprise here, Communications Officer Uhura, Sir.

Even without understanding what they were doing or how they were doing it Kirk knew they were already telling each other things, already planning how to get them back to the ship. "We are now leaving these coordinates and going to approximately ten kilometres due south of this location. Our group will require beam up shortly, in two, I repeat two, standard hours from that location. Understood?" .

"To clarify, Sir. From your present location two, two hours from the other location, just to the south of your location."

"That is right, Lieutenant."

"**Understood**, Sir, Uhura out."

There was a long wait after they had gone before the elder and the healer came in, both going straight to Ty, slowly unbinding him and gently lifting him over to the fire. Even in the dimness of the hut Kirk could see he was in agony and perspiring. The healer looked at Kirk, "He still fights the poison. What we gave him was to ease the pain as from now until one of them wins we can do no more."

The elder gave him a cloth and hot water to wash himself and he had to admit to himself that it felt good to have clean hair and face. It had taken a second bowl of hot water to finish getting the last of the grease off his face.

Kirk thought he heard the hum of the transporter but knew any sound after seeing Spock would make him think of a transporter.

"What sort of **hell-hole** is this? What is **that** smell?"

"Bones!" it had been an almost instinctive reaction.

McCoy had charged into the hut and stopped. Clearly seeing two elderly men sitting next to him as he cradled a shiny nude male's body was not what he had expected to find. "Jim, what the?"

Quickly he seized McCoy's communicator, "Enterprise, this is Kirk, **emergency beam up of all at this location.**"

The elder and the healer were silent when they materialzed in the Transport Room and he had looked at them, "I will return to explain but you have to go back."

"Good God, man," McCoy had Ty on a gurney and they were walking fast behind it. "I don't suppose you want to tell me what happened down there, to both of you?"

"How is he?"

"Once I have done a work-up I'll know. You' don't look in too bad a shape."

"He's been fighting that poison for too long, Bones. He's been in such,"

He felt two hands firmly grip his upper arms and he was turned to face McCoy, "You go get cleaned up and caught up. There is nothing you can do here for him. I have a patient who needs immediate car and you have a crew who needs you. and a ship to command."

It had felt good to have a shower and get back into a clean uniform He had been warmly greeted back onto the bridge. He felt a warm cup being put in his hand and he saw Chekov standing before him, "Sir, I, I apologize. I should have,"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Chekov. Commodore Halls had this all planned."

"He is not even worthy of being called a **Cossack**! He took command right away. Demanding this and that. Really ordering not asking. No delays. No questioning him. No respect for him."

He had smiled and nodded as Chekov walked to sit at his station. There were times when Chekov could talk and be very precise and there were other times when what he said may not be precise but it was exactly what needed saying. With everything taken care of on the Bridge he went to Sickbay.


	6. Chapter 6

"He's going to need a helluva lot of time, Jim. I would be able to treat him but it will be a long time before he is up and on even limited duties. Virtually all his internal organs have been severely damaged. We are just damned lucky that none were punctured or ruptured."

"Bones, you said you would be able to treat him. Why can't you?"

McCoy gave a wry half-smile, "If Commodore Halls were here he would say regulations and he would be right. Starfleet will remove him because of the time it would take aboard the ship means one less available crewman. I will be able to maintain him as long as his systems will fight the various poisons but he will need to be in a full facility to be thoroughly treated."

Just for a moment Kirk looked at his officer sleeping on his side before he carefully reached out and rested his hand on Ty's shoulder, "I can't let them take him, Bones. There has to be a way. Is he?"

"Sick Bay, they're back." Uhura's voice was rushed and hushed and Kirk knew what she meant and Kirk looked at McCoy as he put a thremo blanket on Ty and shook his head.

"I'm having more work done on his bloods, he drifts in and out of consciousness, seems to prefer sleeping on his side, and you can see the pain he is in." Kirk had tried not to look at the diagnostic panel and knew if the sound were on there would be three alarms deafening them. "I am still trying to get the poison fully analysed so I can start to find an antidote. I,"

Spock had carried the two jackets from the time they had left the first settlement and still had them in his hands as they walked from the Transporter Room. They had gone to where the initial beam down site was and had looked around but there was no indication of what could have happened there two months before. There were the paw prints of the wild canines they had been told of but that was all. While he had been relieved to be back on the Enterprise he had not expected to see both Sulu and Chekov behind the controls as well as Mister Scott when they had beamed aboard.

"We will just take these down to have Doctor McCoy verify the blood stains. Mister Scott will remain here as you three will be the three senior grade officers present so witness that the tests are done according to code and the blood is verified as Captain Kirk's and that officer's." Spock felt a growing intense dislike towards the Commodore's abuse of the crew and his arrogance. He was aware that the Commodore had not seen the quick nod both Sulu and Chekov had given him to let him know Jim was home along with Officer Baylance

"Now I will prove to you that," they turned into Sickbay and just for three point eight one seconds things seemed to stand still. Spock had been sure that Jim would be in his quarters but he was standing there talking with McCoy. The commodore was the first to react pulling a native knife he had taken from the village and ran at Kirk yelling, "I'll kill you myself. I'll kill you myself."

James Kirk had turned to see what was happening and was knocked down, Spock had taken a step but was blocked when a sheet covered form suddenly stopped the Commodore's charge. There was one guttural moan then stillness for just a breath.

"I killed him! I killed Kirk! The Enterprise is mine.! Mine! The Enter,"

Sulu roughly grabbed Hall and had him pinned against the wall with a hand to his throat, "**Just breathe wrong and I will break your neck** in an unfortunate accident."

Spock picked up the knife Halls had dropped, "The blade, Doctor."

Kirk half-crawled to where Ty lay with fresh blood flowing from his back, gently rolling him to rest on his knees and holding him close as he heard the strain of each breath.

Twice McCoy had tried to take Ty from him but McCoy had not seen the knives that night. McCoy had not felt that moment of terror he had.

"Jim, give him to McCoy. Jim, let McCoy have him." He heard the compassion and the plea in with the order and looked up at his First Office and friend but kept holding Ty as the nightmare slowly started to fade. "Give him to McCoy, Jim. **Now, Jim**."

Hesitantly Kirk let the two medical personnel take Ty from him and place him on a bed in front of McCoy then he looked at his hands and saw the blood, then the blood on his shirt, looked over and saw blood on the sheet that McCoy was taking off Ty, saw the fresh knife wound Ty had, and felt a shivering sensation pass through him. That elderly woman's words came back to him,. _He will get you home and there, by a knife, you will wear the same blood._ She just had not told him it would be Ty's blood.

Two strong hands gripped him and he felt himself lifted to his feet and an arm go around his waist, "I will take him to his quarters and care for him there, Doctor."

"Thank you, Spock." The Vulcan was relieved that his friend was too stunned to have heard the concern in the Doctor's voice or seen it on his face.

He walked the Captain to his quarters and, without any resistance, first wiped the blood off his hands then wiped his face, removed his jacket and wiped the blood of his chest, removed his boots, and took him to the shower, supporting him till he heard Jim say, "I, I can manage, thank you, Spock. I'll be out in a bit." Although he was reluctant to do so Spock left him and went back to the Captain's quarters and looked out his uniform. He had felt a great deal of pain and anger at himself in his friend and knew whatever had happened on the planet his friend felt responsible for.

Looking more like the James Kirk he knew as the Captain Spock watched as Kirk dressed and then walked up to him and briefly hugged him, "Thank you, my friend. I knew you would come for me."

"As you would for me."

"Was," Kirk broke his hold and took a step back to look up at is friend, "Was Halls rough on you?"

"More of an annoyance with his questioning everything, quoting regulations, and, on average of six point nine seven times daily, commenting in a somewhat derogatory manner, how fortunate a Vulcan was to be on a Federation starship and that he would know how to handle me and keep me in my place and reminding me at several times a day that I was a splendid officer but was, like all the others, a subordinate officer and to remember that fact." Spock looked at his human friend and Captain and Kirk saw that private smile, "I believe that I am the only member of the crew not to have been sent from the bridge."

"Sent from the bridge?"

"To her quarters for asking him a question about an order. While Sulu, Chekov, and Mister Scott were only sent once Uhura was confined to isolation in her quarters three times as she refused to directly say who she was talking to on one ocassion."

"Isolation?"

"I checked and it is an obscure Stafleet regulation."

"Three times?"

Spock nodded and allowed a smile to touch his eyes, "Yes, three times. The first three were for refusing immediately after the communication and then he repeated it when she came back on duty the third time and still refused to say who it was." An eyebrow raised, "She can be a very stubborn woman. He threatened to put her on report and she just stood, looked at him and said, and I quote, "Do it and just see what happens.""

Kirk laughed, "**She would** challenge him. So he never knew?"

"He never knew she spoke to you. She said to him, and again I quote, "On a Communications Station you get a lot of chatter that you do not know. It is Starfleet procedure to acknowledge unless under orders not to. As I received no orders not to acknowledge any of the chatter I followed procedure as stated in the regulations." There was unmistakable pleasure in his voice, "Uhura is a formidable linguistic opponent when she decides to be one, Jim."

McCoy walked in carrying a tray, poured three glasses, handed one to each of them and raised his, "To all being back home and together." Spock was surprised it was not the strong drink McCoy usually offered. When they downed their glasses he looked at them then sat down, "He's fighting. That knife had more poison on it, with it going direct into his systems." For a moment he was silent then looked at Kirk, "The way Halls used the knife would have sliced your lungs and heart and you would have bled out before we could have put you on the table."

"**Doctor!**"

"No, no, it's okay, Spock." Kirk sat down for a moment then looked up at his Chief Medical Officer not wanting to know but knowing he had to ask, "Bones, you said before that we were lucky that none of his vital internal organs had ruptured or been punctured."

McCoy slowly shook his head, "That luck is gone, Jim. It is all up to his willingness to fight back. A more commonly seen form of that poison is fatal in over eighty-six percent of those who get even a small dose of it in them. Who knows how much he has in him now as that knife Halls had had enough to take out at least half the bridge crew."

"Doctor you did say more commonly seen form of the poison." Spock looked at McCoy and saw the truth on the face he could read almost as well as he could James Kirk's face. "Purer form?"

"Purest." McCoy saw the faintest of flickers about the Vulcan's eyes and knew that he understood what he meant.

While Kirk had heard the words he was trying to calm himself, maintain the control that Spock had taught him over the years. Take out at least half the bridge crew. An anger grew in Kirk. It was not enough Halls thought he had been killed, he wanted nobody who had served under him in a command position left.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at to see McCoy looking down at him trying to smile, " If you will excuse me I better get back. He may be a bit unsettled if he wakes up without a friendly face there."

Only when McCoy had left did he stand up and pace for a moment as he struggled to contain his rage. He looked at Spock, "Where is he?"

"In Sick Bay."

"You know who I mean."

Spock knew it best when his friend and Captain was in the state he was in it was best to give the facts and try to make him see the logic of not over reacting. It did not often work but he knew he had to attempt it, "Jim, I believe that Sulu and Chekov were taking him to the brig but," there was the whoosh of the door as Kirk all but bolted out of his quarters. As he had done several times, and as Kirk had done for him as many time, Spock was quick to follow him.

"Kirk! Kirk! This, this infidel has put me here and not in appropriate quarter befitting my rank. I demand, as your superior,"

Kirk turned and looked at Chekov, "Explain."

"I am following Starfleet regulations, Keptin. Any officer suspected of being intoxicated is to be put in the brig for a period of no less than twenty-eight standard hours, is that not correct, Sir?"

"Damned fool. I have had nothing to drink! **I am not intoxicated.** Now I demand,"

Spock looked at Halls then at Chekov, "What made you believe he was intoxicated?"


	7. Chapter 7

"An old Russian saying, 'There is more than vodka that intoxicates a man.' I believed him to be intoxicated by power, Sir."

"Have you been spending much time debating with Lieutenant Uhura?"

"No more than usual, Sir. She is almost at your level."

Spock rested a hand on Kirk's shoulder as he had seen how Kirk was glaring at Halls, "Captain?"

"I, I'm fine I just wish,"

"Excuse me Captain but I must report myself for dereliction of duty."

Kirk had looked at Sulu in almost total shock as it was not like him to neglect any duty. "What?"

"I did not report that I, while being the most senior officer on bridge with the Commodore, Miser Spock, and yourself away, agreed with Chekov that we should add to the standard biannual maintenance checks an extra annual total maintenance check of the systems in the brig. Mister Scott agreed with us that it would be a good thing and that, while ninety percent of the system would be shut down there would be minimal life support so it would not disrupt the operation of the ship nor place the life of any person in the brig at the time in any danger."

Spock looked at Kirk and wondered if his human friend understood what such an action would do and could see that he was contemplating what had been said. He looked from Kirk to Sulu, "So y**ou did consider** the fact that there might be prisoners in the brig at such time?"

"Yes, but as the only difference will be in decreased lighting and less warmth I did not consider it a major factor. Mister Scott confirmed that during a total maintenance check anybody in the brig would be issued with extra blankets and would find the dimness restful. Such periods would be intermittent as all systems are checked and only be for a period of four days at the most."

Kirk had looked at Spock and seen about his eyes the same sort of satisfaction he was feeling. "I regret that the Commodore has to be in the brig during the time of such checks but I will allow nothing to impede the necessary checks to maintain the efficiency of my shi . I am sure it will not be too unpleasant. It will be cold and dark but not unpleasant."

"Captain, **I will report this**. **You will be up on charges**."

Kirk walked closer to the cell, "Will they match the **planned murder** not just of me but also Ty Baylance? Will whatever charges you imagine you have match up to **abuse of powers** on at least two occasions? Will they match up to **dereliction of duty** and derogatory comments to personnel?"

"**You have the power** of command and **you must show that power**. You must show no weakness. You know that. If you were weak you would not have survived that first beating, you would not have lasted this long. If you,"

"Had I not had Officer Baylance with me I would have died." Kirk saw the man slowly accepting the reality of his situation but still clinging to hope, "If Officer Baylance dies then you will be **charged with murder.**"

"But **I meant to kill you**, not him. It is **his own fault** he got in the way."

"You may have wanted to kill me but if he dies you will have killed him and **you will stand trial for that**."

Kirk saw the way Chekov looked at him and Spock before he looked at Halls, "If Ty dies the Keptin will have to watch you to see you live long enough for a trial. If Ty dies you will have to sleep with your eyes open, test all the food and water brought to you, and keep your back against the walls at all times."

"Kirk, you heard that - **I was threatened**."

"Threatened?" Kirk turned and looked at Spock, "Did you hear any threat, Mister Spock?"

"No, Captain. All I heard was Chekov **warning** the Commodore, **advising** him of actions that might be necessary in the future."

"Yes, advice. Now, if you will excuse us, Commodore, we have a ship to take care of. Any time you are ready to start that total maintenance check of this area you may start, Sulu. I will advise Mister Scott myself and have him officially make it a required procedure. Shall we go, gentlemen. I am sure the Commodore needs his rest."

**"Kirk!"**

It was a silent walk to Sick Bay and Kirk stopped just short of the door as though terrified of going in.

"Jim?"

"We have no witnesses to state that Halls set this up. We have no proof he is behind it. Yet I know,"

"We know, Captain. It is most unfortunate we have nothing and nobody to substantiate that fact." Spock had kept looking at Kirk and could see there was more. "What is it, Jim? You know you could not have done anything."

"U should have. **I was weak, Spock**. Not just that first fight but two other times, those two times I waited and Ty reacted. I should have. I am the Captain. I, I"

"Jim, listen to me. I had time and looked into his records. More than impressive to say the least. **You had no way to match that which is instinctive in him**. He was reacting to the situations he found himself and you in out of pure instinct and not training. An instinct that has made him an exceptional officer."

"But I,"

A hand tilted his head so he looked into two dark friendly eyes, "Jim, you are one of the strongest beings I know. There is not a weak fiber in you in any way. What happened on that planet you had no control over. You are not responsible for what happened. He was doing what he instinctively, innately, knew had to and **nothing and no living person could have changed that**. In his mind he had to protect you and return you to the ship."

"What, what can I do, Spock? What do I do? There has to be, "

"Be the Captain of the starship Enterprise, Captain. Go in there and help your officer the way only you know how."

A strange shiver ran through Kirk as he remembered what the elderly woman had said. He had had some of Baylance's blood on him after the attack in Sick Bay and now Spock had encouraged him to help him fight.

Taking a deep breath James Kirk shook his head, smiled at his closest friend and walked into Sick Bay.

McCoy was sitting by the bed Officer Ty Baylance was on just holding his hand.

All the monitors on the diagnostic panel were in the critical range.

"Bones?"

"Can't leave him, Jim."

"Doctor," Spock spoke softly as the tiredness about McCoy was plain to see, "You need rest. You can leave him as there are others who,"

"Watch," carefully, gently McCoy pulled his hand away and the registers flashed to just below the top as McCoy quickly grasp the hand in one of his and placed his other hand on Ty's forehead, "I'm right here, Ty. I'm here and you're not alone. You are not alone." then looked back at Spock as the indicators dropped, "You are not alone."

Slowly Kirk walked over and placed one of his hands over Ty's and pulled McCoy's hand free. "I will sit with him, Bones. You go sleep."

"Jim, he's."

Kirk picked up the wet cloth he had seen McCoy using earlier and wiped Ty's face and neck with before looking up, "**Bedtime, Bones**. I will be right here. **You too, Spock**." he looked at the two of them and half-smiled, "You two need the regulations on that?"

It was four hundred hours when Spock walked into Sick Bay, he had had six point nine hours sleep and woke with the urge, no, the need to come here. He saw his Captain sleeping with his head on the bed and Officer Ty had his eyes open and a hand on Jim's head. As he approached Spock was amazed to see Ty struggling to sit up, to move more of him arm over Kirk, to protect. As he stepped forward the light sensors detected his motion and brightened the lighting slightly and Spock saw Ty look at him in an uncertain almost searching manner, "It is Spock, Ty. Spock from the Enterprise."

Spock took another step and saw how Ty struggled and managed to get more of his arm over Kirk's head, protecting him. From under the arm came a muffled voice, "Don't move, Spock. I must have dozed off. Ty, Ty it's Captain Kirk."

"Safe. Safe."

"Yes, I am safe now. Let me up. I am safe now."

"He,"

"I'm safe now. I know him." Free from under the arm Kirk beckoned Spock forward as he restrained Ty who was still trying protect him from Spock, "It is okay. He is a friend. You know him. He is the First Officer."

Once Spock was close to the bed Ty relaxed as he obviously saw who he was, shut his eyes, and lay back."That's it, you just rest." All the registers were still far too high and Spock had been somewhat amazed at Ty's ability to do what he had. Move to try to protect Kirk.

Cautiously Spook put his hand on top of Kirk's and Kirk nodded as he slid his hand away, "I have to go for now, Ty. Spock will stay with you. I will be back. **l be will back.**"

Once Kirk had gone Spock picked up the wet cloth and wiped Ty's face and neck. Reaching further out Spock got a larger cloth and more antiseptic and eased back the sheet and in long motions wiped Ty's body in steady, rhythmic strokes, making sure he kept hold of the officer's hand at all times.

McCoy came in just as he was finishing and Spock merely looked at him for a moment, "I, I am pleased to see you Doctor. I am unsure how to take care of his ablutions beyond this point."

"Jim?"

"I relieved him just over two standard hours ago. I found he had fallen asleep."

"Damned readings are still too high."

"I may be partly responsible for that, Doctor. It was dim when I entered and he reacted as though I were about to attack Jim."

"He move much?"

"He appeared to only be able to move his right arm with minimal upper torso flexibility. But I would not like to confront him when he is fit. He would be most formidable. You slept well?"

McCoy finished the ablutions and washed up then looked over at Spock and smiled, "Better now Jim is home."

"I found it easier as well."

"Prognosis?"

"Before Halls attack I was talking with Jim and told him it would take a very long time for him to get to the basic level of even light restricted duties and that for full rehab to get to that stage he would be taken by StarFleet. They do not like starships having crew in Sick Bay who are going to take over one standard month to recover for duties." McCoy looked at the diagnostic panel then at Spock, "That was before that knife with that much poison. If by some miracle he lasted to a Starbase I would have had to sign him off but I couldn't do it, Spock. What he did for Jim, seeing him fight here, I couldn't do it."

"Doctor," it was not often that Spock had used such an incredulous tone, "You couldn't do it?"

"Oh, semantics. I could physically do it, there is nothing stopping me that way. It, is an emotional thing, another one of those human emotional things. Truth is I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't do it to him, not after all he has done, all he has suffered, I wouldn't do it. If you would not mind staying a bit longer I want to take another good look at that stab wound, it should not take long. There may have been something I missed."

"I have no intention of leaving just yet and I did not expect you would sign him off," Spock moved slightly to enable McCoy to see the wound better, "In fact I would have been disappoint if you did."

McCoy finished and got them both a cup of coffee. "He would need more care and attention than we could give him. For at least another eight or nine standard days he would need somebody with him all the time in constant tactile contact with him, monitoring him while we try to find an antidote. We have not yet even clearly identified all that was in the poison." McCoy closed his eyes, briefly bowed his head and slightly shook it, "I just wish the end would be quick for his sake."

'Then you are expecting him to die?"

McCoy straightened up and looked right at him, "Yes. I expect him to die."

"May I ask what you are basing this assessment on?"

"Now don't look at me like that, I know there are endless possibilities but I think we are dealing with a certainty here. That poison is a multi hybrid combination we have never encountered before and it is killing him."

"Did the initial treatment he received on the planet not,"

"Dammit, Spock, it just stalled it. It let the poison attack his body slower than if there had been no treatment. Then Halls addition to it..."

"Nobody could have foreseen that, Doctor."

"I would hate for Jim to know but with those deeper organs so damaged there is no way I know to stop the poison."

"**No**," it was a decisive word and both McCoy and Spock turned and saw Kirk in the doorway shaking his head.

"We, we both were fairly fit, our treatment had improved, we saw some invaders about to attack what would be a maternity hut and Ty bolted at the group of four before I grasped what was going on. The healer told me only that he had been stabbed thirty-eight times. I just thought it was infection. I, I never thought of the knives having poison on the blades. It, it would have gone right to his blood,"

"And from there to the rest of his body. Jim, whatever the healer did may have started to work on the poison but blade Halls used and how he used it let the poison enter the major organs where it has started to cause major damage we cannot halt."

"There has to be,"

"Jim, I have used everything I have and it is not responding, it is not reacting."

"Bones," Kirk could feel himself shaking, there was something he remembered. Something they did in that tent that McCoy was not doing but he could not remember. "In the tent. T**hey did something in the tent**. Something about drawing the poison."

McCoy nodded, "Yes, in the sand they drew what they thought the poison looked like. It was a,"

"Jim, did you see them at any stage put steaming hot cloths on his wounds?"

Kirk looked at his Vulcan friend and could see he too was trying to think of something.

"In, in the big hut," slowly some images came to him, "A pot on the fire and the woman put cloths from it onto a thicker cloth. Then right onto his wounds. There was a strange aroma. He would whimper, trying not to scream. She kept doing it to him till he was unconscious. She took what was in the cloth and put it onto the wound. Tied cloth to hold it.. She came regularly and took off the old cloths and put ones from the pot on him."

"That's it!" McCoy quickly rushed back into the room Baylance was in calling out, "Get me boiling water and Spock, see if you can get some plantain from the replicator. Draws out the poison. Old fashioned very barbaric was of drawing out the poison. You two don't want to be here for this. He will be in agony."

"I saw him in hellish pain down there because of me, Bones. He is in pain now because of me and I am going to stay with him. Spock, you have,"

"Doctor, the amount of plantain you need for the treatment exceeds what we,"

'_You use our ways and the ways of old. Use your healing on him later if he stays_.' it seemed Kirk heard the words rather than what Spock had said. "Spock, are, are we sill orbiting the planet?"

"Yes, Captain. We have to go back down and find out if there is an enduring peace now that it is clear the fighting has ceased."

"Did you see any large areas of plantain?"

McCoy was suddenly animated, "Around one of the huts where I was beamed to . Lots of herbs and plantain."

An eyebrow raised, "Indeed, at the site we searched for evidence there was a considerable number of grasses. Is there,"

"Something I was told. We have to use their old ways and their plants as it is a poison of that planet."

"Well, don't just be standing there." McCoy pointed to the door, "**Git**."

"We'll take Chekov. He can help you while I thank a few folk and explain a few things to others."

"I have something I would like to take them, Jim. It would not be against the Prime Directive from what I saw of their civilization. I will merely show them how best to combine the stones they gave you to be of more use to them."

"Okay. I will meet you two there."

As they materialized on the planet Kirk immediately recognized the healer, the elder, and the youth who had handed him the phaser but what he was not prepared for was the second youth. For a moment the youth just looked at them all then just at Chekov and pointed at him as fury filled his voice, "The man who took you back gave us **silence.** He lied to us and ruined what we had. Is he **too afraid** to face us? **We will not take you in his place!**"


	8. Chapter 8

"Might I inquire what you mean by he gave you silence?"

"It was because of our failing communications system that we had limited time to receive or transmit messages. He informed the Federation who obviously contacted that man and he used you to come here. What he gave us was a **disguised older version** of what we had and it was failing. **It completely failed shortly after you left.**"

Kirk had seen the raised eyebrow, "How were you able to tell it was an older version of what you had had?"

The leader smiled and said, "Come, as you are the first who have wondered about our history we will show you what few off-worlders have seen. You will see that while we prefer a more natural approach to living we are highly advanced, technologically."

They climbed an obviously created walkway behind a large waterfall and into a huge cavern,continued passed what would have been turbines, passed rows of piping, to an area where Kirk saw what his mother used to call a "little-boy-in-a- toy-store" look about Spock's face for before them was an area with a computer terminal and installation unlike any he had seen and could tell his Vulcan friend had also not seen anything like it before. Next to it was an obviously equally more advanced communications center than the site he had been taken to.

"There is no need to look so surprised, sirs. If you know your history you will know that Bella Vista was one of the early planets to join the Federation at a time when the Federation was eager to get new planets and when new planets could state their terms of joining."

Spock looked at Kirk then back at the leader, "If memory serves your only condition was that those who visited were to leave nothing behind but their footprints in the sand at low tide and take only those gifts given to them and memories. It was thought that your planet did not even exist of many decades."

The youth and the leader smiled and took them into a small room. On a screen was a view of the planet from an orbiting drone. "You mean like this." The youth switched a few switched and the planet disappeared.

Almost immediately Kirk's communicator sounded, "Kirk here."

"Sir, tis good to hear ye. The planet, it disappeared. It just,"

The leader and youth again switched switches..

"Sir, I can nae explain it but, but it was there then wasn't and now it is again."

"Don't worry, Scotty. All is well here. Kirk out."

"If you want to look in here you will see why we fear no attackers," the leader stood at a large door and slid it open.

"Keptin, isn't that?"

Kirk looked unbelievingly at Spock and then at the leader, "We scanned your planet and,"

"**You detected nothing** as that is how we have lived here for the past three hundred years. Our forefather's forefathers had seen what the likes of your forefathers had done to Earth, from where we originated, back in the twentieth century, and wanted very little of that. The original seven hundred and sixty pioneer colonists mixed with the one hundred and twenty humanoid natives and adapted to live in harmony with the planet. History has shown how too many civilizations fail when they fail to live in harmony with their planet and the nature of it. In there," the leader indicated the room they only looked in, "is what would ensure that should we ever be attacked we would eliminate the threat. There is also, in there, as you no doubt detected, is our ability to obliterate our own planet. Every five years we have a planet-wide vote on our planetary defenses. Every five years fifty young people from each of the one hundred countries come here to learn how to operate the system and then they go to the other center which is a back-up system. Our people want none of the ways that caused your worlds to have such destructive wars, your ways that had one person judge another on material things or what they believed in, nor your belief that a person needs to own more land than what is needed to feed their family. We do have collectives where everybody gets a share. We have our teachers and our medical people as well as our government representative. We have all our young ready to take our place. What we do not have is anybody who does not contribute in some way to the well-being of the planet."

"You said you have medical people and yet officer Baylance had no doctor, no medication, no,"

"We have had no need for manufactured medications for hundreds of years. Our medical people know how to use what nature provides to cure and heal. What was most difficult in treating your officer was that his body has had many unnatural substances in it that our methods had to first rectify. No doubt, if you have kept treating him as you were shown, by now he should be back on your medicines, he will have fully recovered."

Kirk shook his head and looked at the leader, "He was attacked again on the ship by the officer who left us. He,"

"He **stole the study knife**!" The youth who had handed him the phaser looked at the other youth, "**You were right. He stole it.**" then looked at Kirk almost pleadingly, "It had more powerful poison than the hunting knives."

"He is very sick." Kirk had nodded. "We came back for some plants.

"Go get the healer and her, **now**!" the second youth ran out as the other youth turned back to Kirk, "I would not believe him when he said that man had stolen it as we had done what he told us to do. Even when we realized the part was wrong and that we had been tricked I** did not want to believe him.**"

"Will you show me what is missing in your system?" Spock looked from Kirk to the youth. "I have skills in the communications area."

The healer and the old woman walked into the large cavern, two teenagers walked behind the old woman, and before he said anything the old woman looked at Chekov, "You will find the plants you need and these learners will show you which to take and what clay to also take. Go!"

Clay. That had been what he had been missing. Kirk had just thought it was just a dirt colored hot herbal potion but it had had clay in it.

"Captain Kirk, can you hear me?" It was the voice of the youth who had gone with Spock coming from a small speaker on the main desk.

At the nod of the leader Kirk had gone to the mirophone, "Kirk here, hearing you loud and clear."

"How about now I am whispering?"

"Still loud and clear."

There was undisguised in the youth's voice, "This open test one."

Other voices were heard up to twenty-five, each giving thanks. Then, "That you Bella Vista? You were off for longer than usual. Was getting worried. Said you were having a man named Halls from Starfleet give you the piece you wanted, did he give you a bad part like he gave us?"

"He was here and caused trouble but friends of a friend have given us something that will see us never go silent again."

"Good news. That was quick as it took us one hundred and nine days to get the part from the Federation and that was through Star Fleet Your friend must have good connections."

"He has good friends. All is well here now."

"Good to hear. Same here on Cannido Four. Take care."

"Same to you.

The leader looked from the youth to Kirk, "We thank you and your people, Kirk. It has been a long time since we had such clarity in transmissions."

By the time the three reunited near when they had beamed down Chekov was laden with plants and clay, Spock had a youth listening to every word as though committing it to memory, and he felt the youth studying him.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Certainly,"

"Those with whom we had been fighting believed, and we allowed them to, that we commanded that other officer. They believed we had what those four who tried to kill the children on the dam and then the babies but who were wanting to die had said, that we had a warring man. But he was following your orders, wasn't he? You were the one who told him what to do, right?"

Before he could answer Spock said, "Your cessation of war was based on."

"We had no war. We have not had war nor any major conflict of any sort for at least two hundred years."

Spock looked at Kirk, "Halls came aboard to help mediate a peace treaty that need not have been required. I fail to understand why,"

"He knew it would be the Enterprise, he had the oratory skills to make the higher echelon believe it was more than a disagreement, from there he knew what to do to get the ship."

"Unfortunately, Captain, we have no way to prove it."

The second youth looked at Kirk then at Spock, "**I saw him**. I found where he left the faulty part. I knew the four who caused all the trouble, they resented change and feared off-worlders. They tried to stir up feelings against you and some frightened people believed it. Believed it till they did what they did at the lake when they destroyed the dam. If I am allowed," he stood up straight and looked at the leader, "If I may be granted the opportunity, I will go with them to their ship and identify the man. **It is our way** that we must point out any wrongdoer."

The leader half-smiled at the three Enterprise men, "Do not look so surprised, we know of the ships out there, of the likes of the Romulans and Klingons. As you have seen we are, in some ways, more advanced than yourselves and more able to defend ourselves. We just prefer a slower more natural pace to really get to know one another and ourselves, to fully expand our knowledge of life, and to live life to the fullest without relying on anything but ourselves and one another when necessary. Many of our people have been on various ships, have even been to other planets, but have always come back. If Paullee pointing out the man to yu will help you and wishes to go he may."

The old woman had walked up to stand before him and Kirk saw her really look at him before taking his and reaching out and taking one of Spock's hands then closing her eyes before nodding and opening her eyes and releasing their hands, "T**his is the one who is like your brother** and the blue eyed one waits with the one before. What you take up will help him but it is for you two and the blue eyed one to make him stay."

While Chekov had rushed off to Sickbay with his big sacks of clay and plants Kirk had Spock take the youth on a tour of the ship when he went to see Halls.

As Sulu had said, the brig was darker and cooler than usual and Halls had nothing but fury on his face when Kirk had opened the cell and asked him to follow him. "It is good to see you are finally seeing reason, Kirk. We both know that you would have had a difficult time to prove anything against me without any witnesses."

When they had walked into the briefing room Halls had laughed when Kirk had pushed the button for the recorder to start, "This is just a waste of time, Kirk. There is nothing to record as there is nothing I have to say. It is up to you to,"

"That is him! That is the man who said to take the two he did not take with him. To take them and not let them escape. To kill them if they tried to escape. He said if we did that he would give us that part for the communications center."

"I, Kirk I don't know,"

"Mister Spock has a recording of you speaking to me. Your technology will be able to verify that it was you. You would have left us in silence."

"You, like Kirk, have no proof. Your system was faulty. You could not have,"

Spock slipped a little disc into the terminal an the desk, "This is Commodore Gordon Halls, as arranged I will have the piece you want. All you have to do is be there at the transport site and stun the officer I ask to assist me and attack the other two. Do what you will with them but do not let them escape. You can tell those you are fighting that if they do not stop the war with you we will use the full force of my ship to annihilate them."

"I should not have trusted him as we have not had a war in recorded memory, we do not believe in it solving anything, and we would allow the annihilation of others. He left us silence."

"If you will excuse us, Captain, I wish to show our young guest something down in the sciences and then return him to his planet."

"Fine." Kirk held out his hand and the young man took it, "Thank you for your help."

"Thank you. And take care of the one who did help my people. Without him we would still be in silence."

Halls had been quiet all the way back to the cell. As Kirk started to walk away from the cell he paused and looked back at Halls, "You should be thankful that it was Mister Sulu who thought of how you were to be treated while the maintenance of the system is going on. If it had been left to me I would have not even allowed lighting as you belong in a dark hole. It is only unfortunate I could not give you any of the pain your action is causing Officer Baylance but be assured if he dies you really will not enjoy your trip to the nearest Star Base."

Spock met him just outside Sickbay, "Our visitor get home safely?"

"Yes, he was most surprised at how the right alignment of those stones with the right application of a slightly nitrous liquid can easily produce the reaction needed for that transmitter. With the planet having so many of those rocks and a natural supply of the liquid they should not need any replacements for a very long time." Spock half-tilted his head, "A rather simplistic way of power generation while also having the metallic properties necessary. I was surprised at how they appeared to be living on a barely subsistence level yet were all well educated, very fit and healthy, and a well blended society. While largely Human there were beings clearly from other planets who have been accepted. When I had the chance to look at their technology I was at a loss as they are well in advance of what we have in many areas and yet seem so content to ignore how much easier the use of this technology could make their lives "

"I think that is the very reason, Spock. They do not want it all that easy. They have seen how it was and like it as it is. I have to admit that had it not been for my concern for Baylance and getting back to the ship I would have enjoyed staying there a bit longer. I had no idea that they had technology like that. The communication center they took me to was very basic. There was an ebb and flow the to day, there was a peace to it yet an earned peace. They," for a moment Kirk closed his eyes, "they also knew and appreciated one another."

"Jim, do we not,"

"We do but what do we know of the crew outside of the bridge crew, Spock? Did you know how Baylance would react? Did you even know about thim? I didn't."

"Jim, there are four hundred and,"

"Four hundred and twenty-nine crew who know me and I really only know about what, fifteen of them at the most? What sort of Captain does that make me?"

Spock gripped Kirk's arm, "It makes you the Captain that Baylance needs now just as you needed him down there. It makes you the Captain who takes care of what must be dealt with first and then what needs doing. It makes you the Captain that those four hundred and twenty-nine crew members would do and give anything for. It makes you the Captain who is going to go into Sickbay and, without feeling a sense of debt, help his officer recover."

Kirk nodded, "I wonder how that old woman knew, Spock. She had told me before about you helping me help Bones help him. She had said you and Bones could help me with him but," he closed his eyes as he again heard that voice, _'Spock and the one with blue eyes may help you but you must decide how to make him fight and accept what is to be done for and with him. It will be most painful for him and take a long time. You all must be willing. He will not fight when he knows you are safe unless you all help him to fight for life.'_ "But apparently I have to come up with a way to make him fight although what is going to be done to him will cause him severe pain and take a lot of time. I, I have to make him willing to suffer even more because of me."

"You know that it is not just McCoy and myself who will help you? While we will be with him the most there are many, many others who will want to help him."

They entered SickBay together and stopped just a few steps in the intensive care area. It was not often that McCoy had the door to it shut but it was not only the odor but the sight that had made them stop


	9. Chapter 9

"Don't you know a closed door to intensive means **stay out!,**" anger had been in McCoy's voice as he turned and then he nodded, "I should've known it would be you two. Thought I told you if there was any change I would tell you. Nothing either of you can do."

Slowly both Spock and Kirk walked over to the bed McCoy had been trying to block their way to and full view of. All the registers were showing the fight Ty was fighting. Unaware that Kirk was watching his reaction Spock shook his head and very slowly reached out to lightly place his hand on Ty's face and started to close his eyes but quickly withdrew it and shook his head again as he opened his eyes and just looked at Ty, almost in wonder.

Remembering seeing him doing that on the planet Kirk said, "Spock, **what**?"

"Pain. Far worse than the Horta's. An awareness he has to get you home. Keeps saying 'Kirk to Spock on ship'. He does not know where he is. He knows you are somewhere near. But the pain, Jim." again Spock shook his head, "Pain that would stop even a Vulcan possess his body and all his mind but that thought. Pain is his world and his reality."

Kirk only then allowed himself to look at Ty. McCoy had him covered poultices of that plantain and there was a small container by Ty's head which was giving off the pungent aroma. There was just a small towel across Ty's pelvis area giving the man some privacy. There was a thick pad where the knife Halls had welded the knife and Kirk saw a different plant in the poultice.

Very slowly he walked up to the bed and carefully reached out and took one of Ty's hands in one of his and placed his other hand on Ty's forehead, trying to ignore the heat he felt. "It's Kirk, Ty. You're safe. I'm safe. We are home. We are on the Enterprise. You just rest. I** will be right here.** You rest and," for that moment his mind failed him as he felt the spasms of pain in the hand he held.

"His report, Jim." Spock whispered and saw his friend nod.

"I need your full report on what happened down there. Starfleet Command will need it to support my report. I need you to help me, Ty. I need you, the ship needs you." Kirk briefly looked at McCoy and Spock, "The whole crew needs you. You need to rest but you must fight, Ty. We will help you now you are back on the ship."

There was a blip and an indication his breathing had slightly changed. McCoy quickly added more green and yellow leaves to the boiling water that was making the vapor Ty was breathing and gradually the aroma in the room changed.

"You two are going to have to go. I need to get in some help."

"Doctor," Spock looked at McCoy and saw in the blue eyes that look back at him the real reason and knew he could not allow it, "The Captain and I are already here. **We will assist.**"

"Spock, he is going to be,"

"Bones, I saw him down there. I highly doubt if anything that can be done to him here could be any worse than."

"Okay, but we have to be ready. Soon as his breathing changes again you two roll him on his side towards the steam and I will hold open his mouth. You best make sure that towel around his pelvic area is tight as his systems are about to flush if what that lad told Chekov to tell me is true." McCoy looked at both of his friends not sure how they really would react to what was to happen and not sure how he was going to deal with it.

Not more than three point eight five minutes after McCoy had spoken Spock found himself holding Ty's legs steady as he helped hold him on his side, Jim was still holding Ty's hand but also holding him on his side, and McCoy carefully opened Ty's mouth. Fluids seemed to almost explode from his mouth, nose, and pelvic area and the three said nothing as Ty's body arched and twisted four times then was still, nothing as they cleaned Ty's body and placed him on a new bed. None of them said a word as they watched the registers lower slowly then stop at just under severe indicators.

"You two can go get some rest now. Crisis is over. He will sleep now and I will let you know when he wakes up."

Spock looked at Kirk then at McCoy. "I am not as tired as you and Jim are, Doctor. I will let you two know when he awakens."

"That,"

"Engineering to the Captain."

"The Captain here, what seems to be the problem, Scotty?"

"Ahhh, we have a slight glitch in the maintenance check, Sir."

"Slight? How slight?"

"Tis just there is no lightening in there at the moment, Sir. And the heating needs to be kept at five Celsius for another twenty-four hours. The Commodore might find the situation,"

"I will deal with the Commodore, Scotty. Thank you for the heads up and keep doing that check."

"Right you are then, Sir."

Kirk started to turn back to the bed when the intercom buzzed again and McCoy said, "Who's the popular boy now?"

"Kirk here."

"Lieutenant Uhura here, Sir. I have been asked to inform you that the changes to the guest accommodations will be finished in about five standard days and that the ablution units in the guest accommodations will be finished two days after that."

When he looked at McCoy and then at Spock he saw a reflection of what he was feeling. His crew was ensuring there was no other place for the Commodore and that he knew he was getting some of what he had done to one of their own. While he had expected it of the rest of the crew when Kirk looked at how McCoy who was ginning and then at how Spock had raised an eyebrow he knew they agreed with the crew.

"I believe, Captain, that you have a situation elsewhere you should attend to and you can ensure the good doctor gets to his quarters for some sleep as you go."

Kirk knew what Spock meant and although he did not want to leave Ty, although he had told Ty he would be there he also knew Spock would contact him immediately if there were any change.

"Okay, Bones. You better come with me to check on the health of the Commodore. I have to ensure he is healthy."

"More's the pity." McCoy muttered then turned to look at his patient and saw how Spock had his hand resting close o Ty's head and knew it was a way the Vulcan could reassure himself that Ty's condition had not changed. Blasted Vulcans had an advantage that way. Something about the vibrations of the body. "You just take care of him, Spock. You are aware,"

"You have fully prepared me of what to expect, Doctor. Your instruction was quite thorough, thank you. I assume you will ensure that the Captain does not harm the Commodore."

McCoy nodded, "No guarantees there, Spock. However I will ensure Jim sleeps for a few hours after we have seen to our guest."

As they walked to the brig Kirk looked at McCoy, "I do not think he is going to be all that pleased."

"It is just coincidence that he is in the brig at a time when maintenance of being done." McCoy smiled at him, "Surely a man who was after what he called the best ship in the fleet will understand that such minor inconveniences are needed to keep it the best? Plus he has the rare opportunity to inspect the facilities available in the brig first-hand."

Kirk smiled at his friend, "I may use that, Bones. Will be interesting to how he is taking the treatment. You do know that the usual guest accommodation is also being updated, according to Uhura."

"No doubt you will find our which of the crew decided we needed some changes done to the guest accommodations and have a word with them."

"More like a drink with them."

"I will be interested to see if the Commodore even asks about Baylance." McCoy looked at Kirk as they were about to enter the area and put his hand on Kirk's arm.

"**What?** I know that look, Jim. What are you up to?"

"I'd rather not say, Bones. Your reactions will natural if you do not know."

As he looked at his friend every warning symptom he had ever felt suddenly returned as he looked into the hazel eyes. There was something there, something about them that let him know Kirk was planning something close to revenge but not crossing the line. He took a deep breath as they each took a torch handed to them by the security officer who said, "He is **not** a happy camper, Sir."

The whole area was dark and much, much cooler than the rest of the ship.

"I hope you have the coffee right this time. Last time it was not all that top and had no sugar in it. No wonder they have you working down here. If this was my ship you would not be on it, not even in Starfleet."

Kirk turned on the bright torch he held and looked at the Commodore. "I am quite surprised you think so poorly of my second in command of security. Jennings is a good officer."

"A good officer obeys a senior officer, Kirk. Have you finally come to free me from this, this situation."

"No."

"You do realize that **I will report you for this ill-treatment** that borders on barbarism, don't you? You are aware that it is cold in here and there is presently no lighting apart from torches."

"You wanted the Enterprise as it is the best ship in the fleet and in order to keep it that way my crew know, understand, and tolerate inconveniences such as this for the sake of the ship."

"**They are different, Kirk**. Did you never realize that they are different? **They are just crew.** They have no greatness about them. Perhaps it is because you were the youngest Captain in the fleet that you did not have a chance to notice how different they are to us. We command and lead, they do and follow. You will see when I have my hearing. You will see how they will obey me as they know I am your superior officer. Am only in here because you could not lead, you were not fit to command this ship, your crew did not stop me from leaving you there. Even Mister Spock left you there." Halls had laughed, "You own First Officer was not hesitant in notifying the crew you were dead. He was the one to tell them you were dead."

"Mister Spock only said they were **reported dead.**" McCoy stopped rocking on his heels and looked at the man with a rare look of contempt, "He said **reported** to let the crew know he did not believe you. Spock not believing you was good enough for us. We took our lead from him. You must have been not only blind but stupid or arrogant beyond belief not to have noticed how after you had said something we would glance at him for a nod before we did anything."

"**No!** You all only hesitated so that you fully understood what I wanted. I expected a delay for a few days between what I ordered and it being done. You all obeyed me."

Kirk saw McCoy again rocking on his heels, a sure sign he was getting primed and this time he was not going to stop his friend, "We all obeyed you? You, Sir, are delusional! What was it, three or four times Lieutenant Uhural defied your orders to tell you her contact when she spoke at the communications center? The way the Chief Engineer was hardly on the bridge or in contact with you. And was a yes/no from both Helm and Navigation stations really obeying?"

"**I was obeyed!**"

"By which individuals? Even the ones on the planet worked against you."

"**They obeyed me!** They knew I was the man in command, that I had total command of the ship."

"Oh, they did when they first took the Captain and Officer Baylance but then they turned against you as they saw what you did, when they saw the measure of real men like James Kirk and Ty Baylance. And," McCoy stood still and looked right at Halls, "you were never really in even temporary command of the ship."

"**No! It will be mine! Kirk let a junior officer die!** Kirk has mistreated me since his return to the ship. I am his superior officer in so many ways. He broke the Prime Directive by showing a primitive culture our technology! That is the worst thing he could do. That and just letting a junior office die as he did will give me the ship. **Letting an officer die in his place on this ship when not under enemy attack is tantamount to murder."**

Kirk looked at Halls and made sure Halls could see the hate and fury on his face, "Do you know how much more technologically advanced than us they really are?"

"Advanced? You saw how they were treating that dying man. Not a hospital."

"Because they stopped using synthetic substances of medicine hundreds of years ago and use natural medicines and methods. They have technology that is more advanced than we have in many areas. They just prefer to live a more natural balanced life."

"But they had no communication!"

"Their system was weak and compromised by what you gave them for us! You duped them. Fortunately Mister Spock was able to show them a way to not have to rely on the outside world again for parts."

"Spock!" Hall all but spat the name. "**I am going to report him for insubordination!** He would challenge me in that quiet Vulcan way. He knew what the others were doing and would not tell me. He knew the Communications Officer had spoken to somebody, knew who she had spoken with , and would not tell me. The crew would ignore me and refer to him. But he will, if they ask him, tell how he saw you use that officer as a shield, how it was your action that killed him. I will make sure he tells them how you used that officer and caused his death."

For a few breaths there was silence and Kirk was aware of the hostility on Hall's face as he looked at him through the force field. Halls had no idea that Ty was still alive, that somehow whatever was keeping him with them had not let go.

"Yes, Kirk, you and you alone killed that officer. You could have saved him, Kirk, but you pulled him off a Sickbay bed and used him as a shield. You let him die. That poison makes for a slow and very painful death and his death is your fault, Captain. You had one of your own men killed."

"But you held the knife. It was you who stabbed him."

"**He died in your place** as I wanted you gone. **This is my ship.** You were in the way. You put him between us. You killed him. You used him like a shield. They all saw it. You killed him. You killed him yet you put me in here. You should be in here. At the very least I should be in the guest accommodation."

For a moment Kirk was quiet. Halls still thought he was going to get the ship. Still would not accept the reality that he was in the brig and would never be on a ship again. Halls still could not grasp the fact that a person would offer up their life for another's life, that . When he looked at McCoy he could see in the torch light that his friend was concerned but supportive.

"As the guest accommodation is undergoing its annual renovations and updating you are not only safer here but here you at least have a functioning ablution area." Kirk half-smiled, "As was appointed out to me you at least have had an opportunity to first-hand inspect the condition of the brig on this ship. Now, if you'll excuse me I am meant to be sleeping, doctor's orders."

"I hope every night you dream of how that officer died, Kirk. I hope you remember how you were holding him when he died in your arms. I saw how you held him. How you had used him as a shield."

McCoy placed a hand lightly on his shoulder and together they walked away with Halls still calling after them, "His death is your fault Kirk."

Kirk headed for an intercom unit,"I should check with Spock." but McCoy gripped his hand and just looked at him for a moment then he nodded, "You're right, he would contact us if there were a change. I imagine you have something you are going to give me to make sure I sleep."

As they entered his quarters McCoy nodded, "You know you need to sleep. I just bet you did not get much down there."

"I slept fairly well, Bones. I held Ty down there and I think it was more for me than for him." Kirk sat on his bed and shook his head, "I, I was asked if I wanted to leave him out in the cold, if I would let him go like that. I, I," he looked up into two blue eyes, "I almost did, Bones. I thought about it. It would have saved him all he has gone through."

"But you didn't, Jim."

"No, but did I do it so I would not be alone, so that I had somebody from someplace familiar, somebody from home, or for him? I want to believe I did it for him but, but Bones, I think I did it for me. I let him go through what he has gone through when I could have,"

"**Now you stop that, Jim!**" the anger in his voice made Kirk look up at his friend, "You did what you thought you had to do just as he had done what he thought he had to do. I would bet that neither of you would have lasted long alone there. Oh, you might have survived but you would have blamed yourself for his death."

"And I would have been right as he was not Security, he was to be an observer only. Chekov was Security. I wonder why Halls,"

"Halls would have seen him as weak. He would not have taken time to read his full record."

"I must have when he joined the ship but cannot remember anything special, anything all that unusual. I do know I do not have any officer who cannot be beamed down as observers." he started to stand but McCoy stopped him, "I was just going to check,"

A hypo hissed and McCoy said, "You get some sleep. I am going to get some sleep. Spock is with him and a medical team is right there if needed. We did tell Spock we would sleep."

Spock noticed a change in Ty's breathing, a change in his body position and quickly got up and eased the trembling body onto its side just as Ty started to vomit. It was not as odorous nor prolific as before but it was, he knew, a good sign. After cleaning up the small amount that missed the basin he got a clean cloth and gently started to wipe Ty's face. "I will tell Doctor McCoy of this, that you are still fighting. I will wait till he and the Captain return as they need sleep. You just sleep as well. I am here."

"Kirk?" the voice was soft but strained.

"No. This is Spock. You are back on the ship. Captain Kirk is sleeping." cautiously he reached out and placed his hand lightly on Ty's face gently finding the points and no longer finding the all-consuming pain nor the repeated frantic need to get Kirk to him as had been there before. Just as quickly and gently as he had initiated the mind touch he took his hand away and saw two brown eyes looking at him. "You are safe, Ty. The Captain is safe and sleeping. Go back to sleep. I will be with you till he returns."

"Tired." The eyes closed and Spock looked at the registers as well as at Ty. It was a deep and natural breathing. He was sleeping. As he sat back down the Vulcan realized just how tire he was. Since Jim had been left behind he had only had eleven point six hours of sleep. He had been uneasy about Commodore Halls from when he had first beamed aboard and when he had returned with just Chekov he was even more suspicious. Through the mental link that had developed over the years between him and Jim he had known his friend was alive.

Looking at Ty he realized how much he owed the man. He had kept Jim alive on the planet and had somehow found it in him to lunge at the knife when Halls had come into Sickbay earlier. Even as he remembered that attack he remembered how he would not have reached Jim in time, how stunned they had been that Ty was not only aware of what was happening but also had the strength to propel himself off the bed. He kept seeing how that knife that Halls had held would have disemboweled Jim as well as injected all that poison into his systems.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up and he saw Mister Scott looking down at him and smelled the familiar aroma of a Vulcan tea he found refreshing. "I did nae want to disturb ye, Mister Spock, but I thought ye may be needing a cuppa tea about now as the Captain and McCoy left Sickbay four hours ago. The lad is still with us."

Just for a moment Spock wanted ask how the Chief Engineer knew when Jim and McCoy had left but know the crew of the ship looked after one another like that and was tempted to point out the illogic of the statement as it was apparent that Officer Baylance was still there on the bed but he knew what the Chief Engineer meant and nodded, "Thank you for the tea." He nodded his thanks as he took as sip and let himself sigh and slightly relax at the familiar warmth and soothing effect. "Officer Baylance is sleeping. He has had some beneficial reactions to the herbal medications and is experiencing less pain than before. Do you know the ship's,"

"Ship's status is up to par and we are heading to Star Base six at warp four. We are still doing the thorough maintenance check of the brig area and I can now say my lads will have it finished in another eleven hours and we will slowly raise the temperature from five Celsius then." there was a pause and Spock saw the Scotsman look at Ty, "Sulu has the Conn right now. Relieved me about an hour ago. I could at first nae remember which of the Vulcan teas ye like so asked Uhura. She said to tell ye if you want or need a break from being with the lad to let her know and she will sit with him. If ye need a break now I can sit with the lad."

As he took another sip of the tea Spock realized just how much more than a crew the Enterprise had, how it was a family, a very large extended family but a family all the same. "I will have to thank her. There will be no need for you to sit with him as I will remain here till McCoy returns. You will need rest after the maintenance checks are done. I was unaware that they were to be done." The way Scotty looked away let him know that the man was uncomfortable about what he had perpetrated. "Am I correct in my assumption that both you and Uhura had the idea to make changes in the guest accommodation? I did not see any requests for such structural work."

"Well, ah, there is no actual real structural work, Sir."

Uncertainty and suspicion stirred in the Vulcan, "Please explain."

* * *

A/N Busy weekend ahead so will be back sometime next week, hopefully. Have fun and enjoy.


	10. Chapter 10

"Well, ye see it is like this Mister Spock," when Spock looked at the Chief Engineer he could see that the man was really looking at him in the way Humans did when they really wanted him to understand. "I was nae gonna have that man on my ship as though he had done nae wrong. I knew I was nae the only one to think that and twas Uhura who thought that we had to make the guest accommodation nae acceptable so it was a group decision to make changes in the accommodation. We knew we had ta do something and knew we would nae get permission for anything structural so we are making other changes you see."

"What type of changes?"

"Like I said, the changes you see. The duracoated flooring, the subtler colors of paint on the walls, the new tinted aqua flooring in the ablution areas." there was a slight smile on the man's lips, "I believe if you heard what Uhura said the first time to the Captain she only mentioned changes, she did nae specify the type of changes."

Spock looked at Scotty and reflected on exactly what Uhura had said, _"I have been asked to inform you that the changes to the guest accommodations will be finished in about five standard days and that the ablution units in the guest accommodations will be finished two days after that." _ She had only said the changes and not specified them, possibly knowing that he, Jim, and possibly McCoy would not have known what she was referring to. And Mister Scoot had been correct, the changes were things one would see.

Slowly he nodded and saw how the Chief Engineer was looking at him, "Miss Uhura is quite a skilled linguist."

"Aye, that she is, Sir. I think the two of ye spend too much time together at times the way you two think and use words. Is there anything I can for for ye, Mister Spock?"

For a moment he was about to say no but saw a tiredness about the man and knew what he had to say, "There is something you could do/"

"Just tell me what it is."

"I do not want any argument about it."

"Nae arguing, just tell me what it is I can do for ye."

"You can go get seven to eight hour sleep in your quarters, Mister Scott. You told me that the ship's status was good, that we are heading to Star Base Six at warp four and that there are no foreseeable problems. You can also tell Miss Uhura to do the same. I am certain both of you have worked more than the stated hours. Check as to the rest schedules of Chekov and Sulu as well. and ensure they get their rest."

"I made them hand over to their relief so they should be in their quarters sleeping. I will just check they are nae on the Bridge when I go escort Uhura to her quarters. Ye know how stubborn she can be." For a moment the Dhief Engineer studied the Vulcan. He had worked with the man for enough time to notice the subtle signs of tiredness that he knew the Vulcan would not admit to. He had seen the man protecting them from that cretin that was down in the brig since the Captain had missing, had seen how he had kept watch over all of them, blunting as much of its remarks as he could. "Before I go I'll go get ye another cuppa tea, Sir. Ye look as though it is needed and afore ye say anything I will report it to McCoy if ye nae have something to drink."

Spock had been aware of the Scotsman looking at him and knew he was as good as his word, rather than confront McCoy about something as minor as not maintaining what the good doctor considered proper body hydration he nodded, "That would be most welcome, Mister Scott. Thank you."

While Mister Scott was gone Spock carefully wiped down Ty's body and replaced all the poultices. Even the wound Halls had caused seemed less inflamed, there was still a lot of pus draining from it. Carefully he followed what he had seen McCoy do and gently probed a little into the wound and cleared out more pus before applying a fresh soaked pad on it. As he went to bind the thick pad on it he saw Ty's eyes open and saw clear recognition in them. "Sore. Hurts."

"I am sorry, Ty. I had to clear the infection."

"The Captain?"

"He is sleeping. When you awake next time he should be here. You need sleep. I will be here."

"Thank you, Sir. So tired."

As Ty went to sleep Spock looked at him and was aware of the fact he had not thanked Ty for saving Jim and yet Ty had thanked him for simply clearing out some infection from his wound.

Mister Scott walked in and Spock realized that the Chief Engineer had obviously seen him looking at Ty but all the Scotsman said was, "I made the tea a tad stronger, Sir. If ye will be with him till the Captain wakes you will need a strong cuppa. The lad will sleep as long as his body needs. That steam seems to be working as he is breathing better."

"Yes," Spock stopped himself as he knew the Scotsman did not need to know all the properties in inhalations, "I have noticed he is breathing easier and deeper. The poultices have also helped drawing out the poison."

"Ye just make sure ye get plenty of rest too, Sir. I nae seen you so much as nap since all this started. Oh, I know about Vulcans claiming to nae need the sleep we do but I see in ye, Sir Ye need sleep at some time."

"I will get some later, Miser Scott. The Captain will relieve me. Thank you for the tea. You should get your sleep now."

"I will."

It was some time after Mister Scott had gone that Spock realized he had been thinking about how the people he had worked for so long with on this ship had become like a family to him and the rest of the crew a caring collective. He was aware that there were many still wary of his Vulcan nature but they accepted him as one of theirs. The crew know and accepted his relationship with the command crew and especially with Kirk. As he looked at Ty, now in a deep sleep, he remembered the determination in that pain-filled 'Kirk to Spock on ship' .

Lightly Spock rested his fingers on Ty's face and nodded before removing his hand, there was pain but no longer the near fanatic need to protect Jim. He was aware he was home. A brief smile touched his lips, Ty was aware his "alien cousin Spock " was there watching over him. While he thought of the crew as a caring collective it possible seemed to Ty it was some sort of very large extended family. He nodded once, if that was the case he was thankful that he had such a cousin.

James Kirk paused at the door into the room his First Officer and Officer Baylance were in and looked in. As usual his Vulcan friend had known what he needed and now he could see the tiredness about his friend that he knew his friend would be most hesitant to admit to. There was also something about the way his friend was looking at Baylance that he recognized. It was that blend of awe mixed with a sence of debt he himself was feeling. And there was something else, something he could not put a name to that he associated with the Vulcan.

Slowly he walked over and before he reached the bed Spock said, "I trust you are well rested, Captain."

"I am."

"Have you seen to the welfare of Commadore Halls?"

Kirk walked up to the bed and looked from Spock to Baylance, "I believe both Mister Scott and Uhura are treating him with more diplomacy and courtesy than I would, Spock."

"As I understand from what I heard and following procedure he is in the correct place just unfortunately at a most inopportune time." only the years of knowing the Vulcan let Kirk hear the laughter in the words, "I must admit that at the time I was somewhat puzzled by their thought processes but believe nothing they have done is in any way against regulations nor procedure."

"He will no doubt file a report claiming mistreatment but,"Kirk nodded more to himself than at Spock, "I do not think it will go too far as all four of them were behind it and would have thought of how it could be treated."

"I would be most interested in finding out which of the foursome put forward what ideas."

"I am fairly sure I can find that out for you, Spock. Have they been off shift yet and how is Ty doing?"

"Mister Scott was taking over McCoy's role of a mother-hen and I had him send Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov off duty and to have some sleep himself. I informed him I would wait till you relieved me. I felt one of us should be with Officer Baylance.

"As you can see from the registers his pain levels are almost back to normal, he has had a moment or two of lucid awareness, and has admitted to being tired." Carefully Spock lifted the poultice covering the wound that Halls had inflicted and again wiped away the small amount of pus that had seeped into the wound. "There still is some of the poison in his system but not as much. There were enough fresh viable seeds for the Science Department's botanists to be able to propagate as it was a strain of plantain we had no records of. Might I ask what made you so insistent we use what was on the planet and not try to replicate what was used?"

"There was an old woman. In earlier times she would have been called a seer or some sort of psychic but she said I had to use the old ways and the ways of old so I just thought our replicated material would not be the old, it would not have something."

"Indeed. I have been told there are main enzymes in the old plants that over the generations were genetically removed for any number of reasons. What was a great medicinal plant became nothing more than a weed which was only good for composting back into the soil." Spock was looking at him in that searching way, "Did she say more about the plant?"

"No but she did know how much you and Bones mean to me. She did say that we would be the ones to make him stay: that us working together would make him want to stay." Kirk remembered the words you must decide how to make him fight and looked into two dark eyes, "You helped me make him fight, thank you." He saw the right eyebrow start to rise, "She told me that I had to decide how to make him fight and I was at a loss and you, my friend, mentioned his report. I had forgotten how his reports are almost as detailed as your reports only his tend to almost always have a rather different point of view than most of us have on things."

"Indeed, I will find reading his report interesting as he does present facts and details in correct chronological order but from multiple points of view at the same time and with an ease that does not make the reading neither a tedious repetition of so many others nor an dreary yet detailed outline devoid of any sense of the writer."

"Well, if this is not an occasion to have a drink I don't know what is.," McCoy walk in and looked at Spock.

"On what do you base that statement, Doctor?"

"You. You actually admitting that something is dreary if there is no sense of the writer. Why that is almost admitting you like a bit of emotionalism in what you read."

"The Captain and I were referring to Officer Baylance's reports and they do tend to have some resonance as to his personality which adds a dimension to his writing that is absent from most. There was no indication nor implication of emotionalism, Doctor, there was only comment on his writing style."

"But you" McCoy started then stopped. "Never mind. I only came to see how he wa doing and to make sure you get some sleep. Both Jim and I have rested and I do not,"

"Doctor, Officer Baylance is recovering. He had had lucid moments, he did vomit once a significant amount but also the remnants of before, and he rested when I told him I would rest so," slowly and with as close to a smile as he would allow himself to show, he stood and offered McCoy the chair, "I will take my leave of you two and go rest for seven point six five hours and will return to the bridge and my shift at that time."

Kirk looked at him for a moment and saw something he had to comment on, "Spock, you are not going to see the Commodore, are you?"

At the door Spock paused, turned and looked first at McCoy and then at Kirk, "Captain, as First Officer it is my duty to inspect any alterations and inspections of any system on the ship. I will go to the brig to inspect what is being done. I may or may not encounter Commodore Halls while there. Rest assured I will extend to him the courtesy he deserves.".

As soon as Spock had gone McCoy looked at Kirk as the Captain reached for the intercom, "You going to warn Secutiry that our so in control non-emotional Vulcan First Officer is on the way?"

"Partly," Kirk smiled as he pushed the button. "Captain Kirk to Bridge."

"Bridge here, Sir. Lieutenant Samuels here."

"Are you familiar with the Communications Station?"

"Negative, Sir but junior grade Lieutenant Connors is and is manning it as per Mister Scott's orders from Mister Spock, Sir." There was a brief pause, "Sir, if I may can I ask how,"

"Please ask Officer Connors to arrange for an audio transmission from the brig to Sickbay. I will notify Security. Officer Baylance is recovering. Kirk out."

McCoy looked at his friend and Captain, "Why you cunning little,"

"Kirk to Security detail."

"Kearns here, Sir. Our guest is getting a lot of exercise pacing."

"Thank you for the up-date. Communications is going to patch through a link so that I can hear should the First Officer go there. Under no condition is he to know that the link is operational, understood?"

"Understood, Sir. While serving under Mister Scott I learned how to make a unit seem appear inoperable. I will have this one appear to be the only operable one and not the one closest, wait, there, to the deluxe accommodation our guest is enjoying. How is,"

"Officer Baylance is slowly recovering. It will take him some time yet before he can have visitors but I will tell him you asked about him."

"Thank you, Sir. Kearns out."

"Bones, do you think there is anybody aboard the ship who hasn't wondered how Ty is doing?"

"Oh, I think I know one who."

That familiar and beloved baritone voice came from the speaker, "Relax, Officer Kearns, I have come merely to see how the maintenance check is proceeding. You have been monitoring,"

"Yes, Sir. I have kept a log as per regulation, of all the various fluctuations and they are all within the range that Mister Scott told me were acceptable."

"They are all within the acceptable range. Have you experienced any discomfort?"

"I have been aware of the coolness, Sir, but in another two hours I will have some hot coffee and a hot shower."

"While my time here will, unfortunately, not be long enough for you to indulge in a hot shower I will relieve you long enough for you to have a cup of hot coffee while I do my inspection."

"Sir?"

"Go have that cup of hot coffee. I will, as the Captain would say, mind the store while you are gone. Is fifteen minutes sufficient?"

"Yes, Sir. Thank,"

"**No! ****No!** You cannot leave me alone with him!" there was clear near hysteria in the voice, hardly recognizable as belonging to Halls. "**No! I am a Commodore, you are just a Security officer.** He is,"

"Mister Spock is my superior officer. **You are just a prisoner**." McCoy was patting Kirk's shoulder and grinning. "Fifteen minutes will be more than enough, Sir. Thank you."

For perhaps two minutes there was silence then a few clicks then Spock said, "I think, Sir, i**t is time you and I had a private discussion** about what is going to happen in the near future."


	11. Chapter 11

"**I am a Commodore and you will respect that rank**!"

"Sir, **I do respect the rank**, I respect what it stands for, what it represents, ** I just do not respect you**. Your actions are have proven to be contra to everything expected in and from a Commodore. Your actions are not even equal to those of a delusional cadet with aspirations of captaining a starship."

"**I am a Commodore!** Starfleet never gave me a starship. I had escort duty but never the main ship. They said I could not command. I took command. **This is my ship!** I got it from Kirk. **I took it from Kirk!.** He killed his own officer. Everybody saw it. The Enterprise is mine!" There was silence of a moment. "Well, what have you got to say? You cannot deny that Kirk caused the death of that officer."

"Officer Baylance was responsible for his own injuries both on the planet as well as on the ship. He was injured protecting his Captain. You were correct earlier in that he is not even a Security officer but he is an officer of this ship and was protecting the Captain."

"He **was** an officer, Mister Spock. **Was.** Surely you have seen the reports of the toxicity of the poison on that blade. And Kirk used him as a shield. Kirk get him killed."

"Officer Baylance was severely injured on the planet and was in Sickbay when you came in. He was in a semi-lucid state and before any of us had time to think and react he flung himself between the Captain and the blade. I am sure that the visual recording of Sickbay at the time would show Baylance somehow managing to thrust himself between the blade and Captain Kirk but he did it, not Captain Kirk. It was you who held and welded the knife, you who stabbed him with the blade going in all the way to the hilt to ensure all the poison was injected."

"It was for Kirk.. As a senior officer I would have, will have the Enterprise. I will tell them how you and the others mistreated me, were disrespectful and insubordinate. A Captain is responsible for his crew. Kirk was responsible. He caused the death of that officer. They will take him off and give me the ship when they hear the truth. When they read my report they will know what happened. They will know how Kirk killed that officer."

McCoy had kept a hand on his friend"s shoulder and had seen how Jim Kirk had kept looking at Ty Baylance, how he lightly held the man's hand, "Jim, you have to know you are not to blame."

"Don't give me that, Bones." Kirk looked up and McCoy saw guilt in the eyes, "Halls is right. I am responsible for my crew. I am,"

"You are doing the best you can for your officer, Jim. You are here with and for him now. Down there you could do nothing for him. He had acted as you would have down there and somehow he was cognizant of what was happening here and acted again. His actions, Jim. Nothing any of us could have done a thing about. You, and we, can only do something about it now."

Spock was totally unaware that his conversation was being heard and he realized he would not have minded if it were. He was prepared for any consequences he might have to confront for his actions. Commodore Halls was sane, he was also highly emotional and singularly focused. There had to be something behind that all-consuming need in the man.

"Why do you harbor such hostility against Captain Kirk?" Spock had prepared himself for some deep-seated resentment from the academy days or Kirk's early cadet and ensign days.

"You are a Vulcan and cannot possibly understand what it is like when some, some still wet-behind-the-ears kid is given your ship. Some young inexperienced pup gets the ship you should have had and is suddenly the golden-haired wonder boy of the fleet when it is the ship and not him that is respected. **It is my ship.** I will get my ship. I am the senior officer. **I am a Commodore** and **Kirk is just a Captain.**"

"With all due respect, Sir, one can admire a ship, may respect the crew aboard it, the ideology behind it, the reason for its existing, but one cannot respect a non-living, non-sentient object without acknowledging the commanding officer of that object. I have served under the two captains of this ship and they are both commanding officers to be respected for they made this ship great by making the crew greater than any other in Starfleet."

"Y**ou served under me as well.**"

"No, Sir, **I did not**. In the absence of Captain Kirk I merely acted as a buffer between you and the crew as much as I could to maintain the high standards set by Captain Kirk. **I fulfilled the duty as First Officer** of this ship and to Captain Kirk to the best of my ability by ensuring the usual high standards of this ship established by Captain Pike and reinforced and maintained by Captain Kirk."

"They, the crew followed my orders without question."

"But not without delay, Sir. If you will recall the bridge crew would glance at me before they responded."

"But they all obeyed me! Me! **My crew all obeyed me!**"

"**All** is incorrect. Did you not send Lieutenant Uhura off the bridge on more than one occasion for not answering your question how you wanted it answered?"

"But she went. She obeyed me. Not you, me"

"Did you not see her looking at me before she left? Did you not see me nod and then her nodding back before she left? Did you not realize she did not acknowledge your order before she left the bridge?"

"She, she obeyed me! I was her commanding officer and she obeyed me! Unlike Kirk I know how to command a crew."

"Is it not true that it is your **inability to command** a crew that disqualifies you from being the captain of anything more than a shuttle?"

"I can command. I showed it on this ship. My ship. **I got rid of Kirk and proved I can command**."

Spock looked at the man, grateful that Vulcans had better eyesight than Humans as he could see the growing frustration in the man. Frustration yet also confidence. It all fitted together now. The reasons he had come aboard, not to observe but ti take command in the vain attempt to prove he could command. He had twice tried to kill Jim to get command. He had it all planned except for Ty Baylance.

"I believe you will find that Captain Kirk is still the Captain of this ship and is likely to remain so."

"But he killed that officer by using him as a shield. You and others saw that."

"We saw Officer Baylance place himself between his Captain and you who had a knife in your hand intent on harming said Captain. We saw you push that knife to its hilt into Officer Baylance at the same time as having claimed to having killed Captain Kirk."

"I was claiming he killed the officer. He had the knife. He should be in here, not me. He killed his own officer."

"Should an analysis of who held the knife be done it would have your prints and DNA, the DNA and prints of whoever put the poison on the blade, and the DNA and prints of our Chief Medical Officer who carefully removed the knife from Officer Baylance. It would reveal that at no time did Captain Kirk come into contact with the knife.

"On a playback of the recording of the events in Sickbay it would show that it was Officer Baylance who placed himself between your hand with the knife and Captain Kirk and how there was time for **a rationally minded person** to halt their attack. At that time, Sir, **you were not rational**. By Starfleet regulations any officer found to be in an irrational state of mind is to be placed under guard either in their quarters or the brig depending on the severity of their irrationality, their state of mind, and any irrational action they might have taken and or likely to take."

"I am not irrational! This is my ship! Kirk should be in here not me. He did not stop my actions. The death of that officer is his fault not mine. If there is to be a farce of a trial you will also be charged with insubordination and for not arresting Kirk at the same time as he could have stopped it. He will be found guilty of causing that officer's death. I will get the ship then.."

"If there is a trial,"

"Oh boy, Jim, Halls doesn't see it even now." Kirk saw satisfaction on his fiend's face, "Damn, that logical mind can spin a spider's web of entrapment when he wants it to." The blue eyes were searching his face and he tried to shove down a feeling he had. "Now you listen to me, James Kirk. There is no way you are at all responsible for anything that happened. Like Spock said, somehow Ty found something in him to get between you and that blade. None of us could have stopped him. The main thing is that he is on the mend. Spock said he has had a few moments of awareness and what he has vomited was not putrid but apparently clear fluid."

All Kirk did was look at his friend, then gripped the hand in his a bit firmer and saw how Ty's chest was rising and falling in long steady motions indicating he was in a deep sleep. He looked at the registers, they were all almost in the normal range with the pain register in the normal range. "I know, Bones. On one level I know that. I just am afraid Spock might push Halls too far, might do something physical to him."

"Now, Jim, we both know he would not do anything physical to the man. He is just assessing the man's state of mind and trying to make him face reality. He has had several opportunities to physically attack or should I say make Halls physically uncomfortable but hasn't. He wouldn't risk it."

Kirk look up at this friend in silence for a moment and saw how he was looking at him, "Are you really sure about that, Bones?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh, I** will make sure there is a trial after this**, Mister Spock."

"As I was saying, Sir, if there is a trial I am sure **Officer Ty Baylance will be there**."

"I was unaware that Vulcan suffered madness, Mister Spock, but Kirk used that officer as a shied and caused his death. **He is dead.** There was enough poison on that blade to kill at least half a dozen full-grown men. It all went into that officer as Kirk hid behind him. **Kirk caused his death. He is dead.**"

"Vulcans are not immune to degrees of what Humans call madness, Sir, however **Officer Ty Baylance is very much alive** and is recovering under the excellent care and attention of Doctor McCoy. Captain Kirk is with him as often as possible. They were together in that tent you looked into."

"Then, then **you lied**. Vulcans do not lie and **you lied**."

As Kirk looked up at McCoy he wondered if his friend was also envisaging an eyebrow being raised and saw the smile and nod.

"**I did not lie**, Sir. If you are referring to the events at the camp what I said was truthful. At that camp when I went into that hut and said that **one was near death it was Officer Baylance** and he did appear near death. The other person in the hut **who seemed to be in a trance was Captain Kirk**. The smoke in that hut was to help Officer Baylance breathe and it did appear to be affecting Captain Kirk in a different manner."

"But Kirk, **Kirk used him as a shield**. Kirk knew I was after him, that I was going to kill him and **used that officer as a shield**. He had to have used him as a shield. There was no way,"

"It took what remained of Officer Baylance's mental and physical abilities at the time but he launched himself to be between your knife and his Captain. He was able to do that to protect his Captain and you would have had the time to halt your attack."

"But, but that poison. That poison, it was an old plant based type possibly not known by Starfleet. He is dead. Kirk killed him." There was a half-breath pause, "It, it is colder here now."

"Perhaps you only notice the temperature as you calm down. As to the poison, it was an old poison and Doctor McCoy skillfully employed an old treatment regime that saved his life. I can assure you he is alive and you are the one who attempted to kill him and there are,"

A breathless voice said, "Sor, sorry I am late back, Mister Spock, I,"

"There is no need to explain. No need to have hurried back. I had noticed you were feeling the effects of the cooler temperature and had calculated that you would possibly have needed slightly longer. I trust you were able to warm yourself thoroughly."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

"As you will notice I have lowered the temperature to two degrees Celsius. I also took the liberty of bringing you a therma jacket should you feel the need for extra warmth against the lower temperature. It should remain on that until you are relieved. Will your clothing keep you warm enough?"

Kirk felt the hand on his shoulder tighten and knew McCoy would be thinking along the same lines as he was, lowering the temperature as part of the maintenance check would be on the report but it would logically be considered a part of the systems check..

"Yes, Sir. With the jacket I will be warm enough. What about,"

"Oh, the Commodore has enough what Humans call hot air to keep himself warm. If you have any problems you may contact me."

"Before you go may I ask a question, Sir?"

"Certainly."

"I know it is not normally done when there is a prisoner in the brig but would it not be an incomplete check of the systems if the fans were not turned up to thoroughly check the ventilation flow? The flow only briefly swirls around in the cells as it is basically a short blast at one of seven settings."

"Thank you for pointing out that omission, I will talk later with the Chief Engineer about it but yes, that should be done." There was an unusual silence and Kirk knew it would be cause his friend would b thinking of what he was suggesting, the implications of what he was saying.

"Sir, should we not do it with this check? The fans could go through their full cycle in about ten minutes."

"It actually does a full cycle in seven point two three if it is correctly set. Yes, it would be a good idea to conduct a check of the fans with this check to make sure it is a complete check." Again there was silence. "If memory serves you are not with the Security Division but Engineering. What is the reasoning behind such a **transfer**?"

"There was uncertainty about this particular prisoner not having a fatal accident if any of the Security teams were here. I have had Security detail experience although I am an engineer and I volunteered for this temporary transfer, especially once I knew that there was a possibility of a maintenance check being done. I am also a friend of Ty's and know he would not like any form of retribution being taken, not even indirectly. So what I am doing, the reason I am here, is just ensuring that the prisoner does not interfere with the maintenance check being done on time and that it is a thorough check of all the systems." Silence.

Kirk closed his eyes and shook his head. No doubt his friend was trying to think of how to argue about how to thank the officer without emotion. He had no doubt that Halls would have had an accident had one of Chekov's friends in the Security Division been left in charge. He often had seen how close his crew was, how it was like an enormously extended family. He looked at Ty and wondered if he would understand all he had really done, all the people his actions had touched in one way of another.

"Just gotta check this, Jim." McCoy moved and removed the big pad over the knife wound momentarily forgetting that Kirk had not seen it without the blade in it. There was still some pus in it that he gently wiped out and heard Ty give a slight moan as it still was in deep. Not the color it had been and more solid than before, a good sign for that type of organic poisoning.

"He, **he felt that**, Bones."

"He'll be just fine, Jim." McCoy put another pad, not as hot as the previous ones, on the wound. "It is healing up nicely. He'll be just fine." he put a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"So you were not displeased nor suspicious in my lowering the temperature although the matter had not been discussed and was not on the schedule to be done at this time?"

"No , Sir. While you are my senior officer and one who usually does things exactly by the book and schedule, I am aware that you know what needs to be done with this particular maintenance check under these circumstances. I am aware that you are aware of who the prisoner is and what he has done, but I also know you are also one who does not seek revenge in like manner. I am aware that you may have mistaken my idea of checking the fans as some retaliatory action on my behalf as I consider Officer Baylance a friend but am pleased you are aware it is because of the need for a complete check of all systems."

"Yes, we should get on with completing the check of the system. I shall go have the rest I told Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy I would have. You may check the fans and the ventilation system and **make use of the jacket**. I will expect your name as well as Mister Scott's on the report."

"Yes, Sir. Have a good rest."

A long period of silence then, "Officer Kearns here, Captain, You are switched to audio now and systems are fully functioning. He was not aware of being overheard."

"Understood and thank you."

"This is Doctor McCoy. As soon as your shift is over you get yourself here as first I want to check you over and then get you a drink to really warm you up. Ty is doing very well and is in a deep sleep."

"Thank you, Captain and Doctor McCoy. I have about another two standard hours. I do not think our guest is enjoying the ventilation system being checked."

"Kirk out." Kirk looked from Ty to McCoy. "Remind me in future not to let those two work together. Between Kearns's obvious ability to see ways of shall we say doing two things at one time and Spock's ability to have such actions relate to Stafleet regulations there is no telling what those two could come up with."

McCoy nodded, "Makes me glad they are both on our side."

"Will you sit with him? I want to go check in on how things are on the bridge. If Kearns arrives before I am back you are to keep him here till I return."

On the bridge he saw the others all a their posts, acknowledged them with a nod as Sulu moved from the center chair and Mister Scott barely looked away from the Engineering station. He recognized the officer at Spock's science station as one he had seen there before but what he noticed most was how both Uhura and Scotty were so engrossed at their stations. "Any problems?" As he expected he got three "No, Sir." replies and both Uhura and Scotty turned to look at him.

"Aye, I have one. There was an extra check done in the brig area that I did nae have down. Now I'm nae complaining as it did indicate something that I have down ta fix but I did nae even think of doing it wit that thing there. Now he may be in there by right by us but he is, well, he is,

"**Less than a Cossack** after what he did!"

"Now I agree lad, but this should have been done only under my orders. If he reports it I'll."

"Have had no knowledge of it, Scotty. **I had it done** as it was pointed out to me that without the fans being checked it would not be a completed maintenance check done on time."

"But. Sir,"

"And I have a slight problem, or had, in that it seems there was a problem with the comms units in the brig and one in Sickbay that I could not break into nor correct from here. It would have had to have been a deliberate," Uhura was really looking at him, "Your orders as well, Sir?"

"I took some actions that I did not want you four involved in."

For a moment the four looked at him in stunned silence then Sulu said, "What we did not hear ,we can not tell; and if we did not know of the actions taken until after the events, we cannot be held in any way responsible."

Kirk nodded, "Mister Spock would be pleased you know the regulation almost word for word."

"No disrespect intended, Sir, but **you had no right to exclude us.**" Uhura looked steadily at him, "To do what was done with the comms units you would have had to," she looked at Scotty who looked at her.

"**Kearns**." they said almost in unison and both of them looked at Kirk. "Now the lad is a novice miracle workers but **he would nae be there**."

"He was, Scotty." Chekov looked at Kirk and then at Scotty, "None of the Security crew would be near that thing. Kearns was qualified to do it even though he is from Engineering. He would have liked it as he is friends with Ty."

"Ahh, the lad would also know how to engage the fans."

"It was his idea and I authorized it, Scotty."

"And the comms units?"

"I ordered that and he knew what to do.

"He had shown me how to do many things with the comms systems I doubt if those who designed it know how to do." Uhura was quite for a moment then looked at Kirk, "He would have been so cold."

"He had a therma jacket." .

There was a moment of quiet as the four seemed to realize what was not being said, when they realized just what Kirk could have done and protected them from, things they would have wanted to be a part of.

"What about Doctor McCoy and Mister Spock. How, how involved were they in this?" Uhura kept looking at him and Kirk was aware of the others also so carefully watching him.

"They were acting strictly on my orders. Doctor McCoy was caring for Officer Baylance and Spock stopped by the Brig on his way to his quarters. The blocked comms unit was so that Officer Kearns and I could talk. Mister Spock did not know it was blocked."

One by one he looked steadily at the four of them, "All of these actions, including the treatment that Commodore Halls has received since his arrival back onto the Enterprise, is strictly my doing, my responsibility. None of you, none of my crew has been in any way instrumentally nor voluntarily involved."

"Beggin your pardon, Sir, but, **like hell!** **We all knew ye would do something**, we all knew because we know ye. Knowing and not stopping an action, now that is almost as bad as doing it in the eyes of the higher echelon."

"Mister Scott is right, Sir. **We all knew you would do something** and we did not stop to find out what or to prevent you from doing it which makes us all as guilty."

"I agree. Like the old Russian saying It is nothing for one to know something unless somebody else knows you it and we knew it, Sir."

Kirk looked at Uhura who had been quiet, "You have anything to say?"


	13. Chapter 13

"Only that there is **no known way in any known**, as well as unknown, universe that **you will face, on your own, any action taken against you** by anybody on this. And it is **not just the bridge crew,** Captain, it is the crew, **your crew, who will see to that."**

Although Kirk knew his bloodline family was in Iowa as he looked around and saw those around him nod he knew he had this family as well. This was a family who would protect him just as he protected them and just as he would be furious if they tried to accept total blame for something to do with them they clearly felt the same way. Over the years he had thought that but to hear it said as Uhura had just said it made it real.

"Now, if ye are finished checking on us there's a lad in Sickbay who'll be needing ye, Sir. We'll let ye know if there's anything we can nae take care of."

One by one he looked at his bridge, no, at his family and saw then all smile and nod back. They would take care of him and the ship. They knew where he waned to be, where he had to be.

On his way back to Sickbay Kirk momentarily thought of going by Spock's quarters but decided against it knowing that Spock would be sleeping, or at least resting. He had seen how exhausted his friend had been when they beamed up and he knew the Vulcan had had little in the way of sleep since. He shook his head, at least he had managed to get him to get some rest without having to pull rank. For so many years he had seen how so often his First Officer would ensure that the crew were looked after before he would take care of himself.

When he entered Sickbay McCoy was just finishing adjusting a different sheet over Ty and there was almost an overpowering smell of antiseptic. "Now before you go getting all worried we merely had a good sign in that his body eliminated a lot of solids and liquids and he has totally stabilized now. Was on the sudden and explosive side and caught me off-guard but he is definitely on the improve now."

"He?"

"He'll sleep for a few hours now and when he wakes he should be nearly good as new. Mind you, I will put him on restricted duties for a few weeks and let him build up slowly. I know it is useless giving him a strict timetable but I would reckon in about four weeks he will be back to normal."

"You get any rest?"

"I got plenty before. I believe our main worrier is having a long rest as ordered. He has not come in here since he left and I am not expecting him for few more hours. I take it you intend to sit here with him?"

"I'd like to go have a meal with you if you can find somebody who will contact us if he,"

"M'Benga will keep an eye on him. I want to see you have a decent meal. Ty won't wake up for some time now."

Confident that M'Benga was familiar with Ty's situation Kirk went with McCoy and for a moment just sat looking at the steak before him on the plate. There were so many times during their time in captivity when he longed for a steak, when he wanted anything but another bowl of soup, now he just looked at it. He had soup and Ty had nothing. Ty had lost so much weight because of that poison while that soup had been very filling.

"Jim, you need to eat."

"How, how long before Ty will be able to eat?"

"**Now you listen to me**, Captain." McCoy looked at him and Kirk knew his friend knew him too well, could almost read his thoughts, "I want you to **stop thinking about anything but enjoying that steak**. Officer Baylance will be back to eating within two weeks. He lost substantial weight which can be expected with such poisonings but he will put it back on. Most of it was the fat his body would normally have used in activity with no real muscle loss that is of note. You can make sure he eats then if you like but right now **I want you to eat.**"

Once he started eating Kirk realized just how hungry he really was and how tasty the steak was. For a moment he was tempted to bolt it down but then he knew there were two factors against that, one was sitting across from him and the other was that he wanted to savor every mouthful. He was aware of blue eyes watching him and it was oddly comforting.

"You know, Bones, I have never really read his file. Oh, as I do with all new crew I must have looked at it but maybe there is something I missed that would have let me know why he would act as he did. He seemed to know just what to do down there, how they would react to what he did."

Quickly McCoy said a silent prayer hoping Spock would understand his action, "No need, Jim. Spock and I both saw his file. Nothing special in it to show anything be what a good officer he is. Clearly, like any other officer on this ship, his prime thought was of protecting you."

"So Spock said he is a routine and regular officer who is just classified as an all arounder because of his ability to fit in in so many departments and to fill in as an emergency relief?"

"Yes, Jim. He is a regular officer." McCoy silently added, "_Who just happens to be a Situation Adaptive Specialist_." And felt relief when he saw acceptance in the hazel eyes before his friend nodded his head. "He seems to thrive in both engineering and applied sciences."

"Yeah, I seem to remember that about him. Both Scotty and Spock have made comments about him several times on how he has excellent skills in their areas."

"There's **one thing** you will have to know, Jim."

"Oh, what?" Kirk asked with the cup of coffee half-way to his lips.

"Only that that fool will want to get back to work **too soon** and it will be **up to you to tell him no** and I do not envy you that. I have had to do it a few times and know what a verbal battle you will have. He knows how to twist the rules and regulations let alone words almost as well as Spock does."

Kirk smiled at him and McCoy was pleased to see it, "I have one advantage, Bones. I am his commanding officer."

For a moment McCoy looked at his friend and remembered how not so long ago his friend was using that same statement when he tried to take the blame for what had happened.

"What he is going to need more than a commanding officer for the next few days is a friendly face. Think you will be able to make the adjustment from feeling and acting like his commanding officer to that and then back to his commanding officer when he is put back on active duty?" McCoy looked at his friend and saw a faint hint of uncertainty about the hazel eyes, "You cannot still be seriously blaming yourself for what happened, Jim. **He would hate that** and you would be doing him a great injustice and disservice after what he went through protecting you. Are you up to dropping the guilt and just being a friendly face around him?"

Every part of his being wanted to scream out how could he possibly be just a friendly face when he was the commanding officer, when Ty had done what he should have done but as he looked at his friend, as he saw that look that let him know his friend knew he could do it, he slowly nodded. Bones was right, Ty would hate him. In all his pain, in all that he went through down there, in those moments he had been aware of his presence he had not once cussed nor cursed him. Not once had he really complained. He had simply accepted it.

When they went back to Sickbay they had exchanged a look as they saw Spock sitting by the bed. M'Benga walked over to them, "He just got here. All indications are there that the patient will wake shortly. He's been trying to move more and had a moment of semi-lucidness."

"Semi?" McCoy obviously wanted to know more.

"He woke briefly and seemed to look around and was a bit restive, asked for Kirk, not Captain Kirk. I told him that he was safe and we were all on the Enterprise. Then he said 'Report' and I let him know you would see him about that, Sir, and then he went to sleep. Shortly after he went to sleep Mister Spock arrived and now you two. With Mister Scott and Lieutenant Uhura having also checked in on how he was doing I am sure just about everybody on the ship has been kept up to date."

"Thanks. I'll take over again now. We'll want to be with him when he wakes up next time."

As they approached Spock started to stand but Kirk motioned for him to sit, "It was only logical that one of us should be with him, Captain. He might be restive if he woke and was confused."

McCoy bit back the retort that came to him as he looked at Kirk, Spock, and Ty. The Vulcan was, he had to admit, right. There was every possibility that Ty would be unsettled if he woke alone or with one of the medical staff he did not know there. He looked at the registers and was relieved to see them all in the ranges of what was normal. That old treatment had worked better than any of the modern medicines and he was pleased that that cunning Vulcan had kept seeds for the botanical sciences unit as well as medical. Later he would have to discuss their medicinal properties with him.

Slowly Kirk walked up to the bed and placed a hand on Ty's, "It's Kirk, Ty. You just sleep as long as you like. We'll be right here."

"Kirk?" It was almost a whisper and there was uncertainty in th eyes that looked up at him.

Spock moved and Kirk took his place and gave the hand in his a squeeze, "I'm right here, Ty."

"My report?"

"It can wait. Do you need anything?"

"Drink would be good. What the doctor gave me was bad."

Kirk looked at McCoy who nodded and walked towards his office, "I think that can be arranged."

"You alright, Sir?"

"I'm fine. Doctor McCoy has told me you will not be on active duty for a few weeks and I expect you to follow his instructions."

"Yes, Sir."

McCoy walked back into the room carrying a try with four glasses, "Something with substance for three of us and a kiwifruit slammer for Spock."

"Thank you, Doctor. I'll just ease Ty up."

"**No!**" there was panic in the voice and his eyes, "You' will feel,"

Momentarily Spock paused, "I have my shields up and I have felt your pain before. If you will allow,"

"Okay, if you are sure," Spock eased Ty up as Kirk put pillows behind him.

"There. Now. Can you hold the glass?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Then a toast to all of us all being home and well and with those who matter the most to us." McCoy looked at Kirk and then at Spock as they raised their glasses.

"Now, now that has taste. That's taken care of that other taste, thanks."

"If you maintain the track you are on to recovery you will be back in your quarters in a week and on limited duties shortly after that, with Mister Spock's, Mister Scott's, and the Captain's permission. For now you just rest. Just tell my staff if you need me."

Once Spock had helped Ty resettle on the bed and Kirk had satisfied himself that Ty was comfortable they walked into McCoy's office and he promptly poured them each another glass, noting the raising eyebrow of his Vulcan friend.

"I just,"

"No, Bones. This is **my** turn. You two **never** gave up on me. For a short time there I was sure Halls had won, that we would die on that planet but Ty knew you would come for me. You two risked so much with Halls and his connections and what they could have done to you, to your careers." Kirk looked at his two friends as he sorted out the words in his mind and slowly raised his glass, "We three have different mothers, Through life's flexes and blends, We have become more than friends, You two I consider my brothers. **To us brothers.**"

Three glasses raised and clinked as three voices repeated, "To us brothers."

**_FIN_**


End file.
